Anne the mail - International Scarf Exchange 3

TADA!

My pal's scarf is finished--but not in the mail yet. I am very happy with the blocked results - it was painstaking to block. There are a few doo-dads I want to put into the package and I'll need to bribe my mom to tote me around to find just the right things. I feel fairly safe that I have not prematurely revealed my identity, but will probably not post to ISE3 website until the package has been officially mailed.

In my quest for the 'perfect Anne scarf pattern', I had run across a headband pattern that lends itself well to this yarn. It was boring to make, but only took a few hours yesterday. I could not manage a decent photo of the final product so I am hopeful that my pal will take a pic with it on and I will post it. If it turns out the headbands are not her thing, it could be a cool re-gifted gift.

This has been a wonderful experience that I will definitely enjoy again. I wish I had been as good and frequent of a pal to XXX as my pal - Knit Purl-has been to me. God does truly send us what we need when we need it.

What's next, you ask? Wellllll....I have my OTHER black bunny wild sock to finish and I did get a fieldtrip to a close yarn store this week (it really tired me out, though). I couldn't resist some bright pink-ish Anne by Schaeffer and a skein of La Boheme by Fiesta in color 1114 Clematis and finally, enough yarn to make a felted Foo Foo bag for Bugg's pal Alyssa (top secret color, but it's cool!)

One more shot for the road....

Yikes! Were those Addi turbos?

Check out this cute video - almost 7 minutes, but cute. Makes me think about my knitting obsession (but only for a second)

The Last Knit

The cure for what ails you

You thought my cure is -- yarn, right? Typically, I would have guessed that myself but I am able to gratefully report that it is truly the care, wishes, and prayers of the ones who pray for you.

I am recuperating at home. What is it about the comfort of your own pillow, pj's, or dog laying his/her head on your lap that makes it so much better? (OK, Darby the ever-caring, gentle terrier will lay his head on your lap anytime - Lucy is the terrified terrier and jumps to run after looking me over).

Thank you so much to everyone who has expressed care and concern - I'll be getting to you individually as soon as I am able.

So...on to the yarn. I had strategically placed an order from The Fold and it arrived while I was in the hospital. My wonderful BDCH dutifully trucked the package to my room for me to smell. My Goodness, WHERE did I find this man!!! It has been tucked into the 'yarn vault' for now.

He also brought cards from my pals - Fiber Guru (It does hurt to laugh) and from my scarf exchange pal - Knit Purl. Sue - my 'faraway knit friend' and Melanie, Bugg's friend. Everyone at church and work... I feel so lucky to have everyone to keep me in good spirits.

I have completed a few rows of my Pal's scarf and have been eyeing the Black Bunny sock that is calling for finishing, but progress is slow. I know it is not about the progress - it is about the process and the healing is woven into each stitch.

Black Bunny'in along - fast and wrong

The excitement to receive a package from Black Bunny yesterday was hardly contained!

The yarn was wound within minutes of hitting my door step and I stayed up into the wee hours to produce this much of my sock. I'm not the poster child for swatching so I will be ripping this down to start anew -- but on BIGGER needles!

Seriously, this yarn is such a dream to work with - I don't even mind.

Imagine how much I will have finished at this time tomorrow!

Packages Received!

I'll admit it - I bought this shirt!

A shop we found while on vacation had a few (in tiny sizes). They can be found at Knitiot Design Studio



This shirt came wrapped in a yarn tied bag - how could I resist?



The post office was very good to me today!

I was beginning to worry - with the yarn for my scarf pal and no pattern to swatch it to and a pattern for the Black Bunny Hop-a-long and no yarn...what's a girl to do?

My Black Bunny came - Cornucopia sock yarn is more fantastically wonderful than I could have imagined! A pattern was already chosen - something I'll post later from an old Stahl pamphlet. Admittedly, I did cast on and have the cuff and almost half of the first repeat finished (give me a break, it is a 47 row repeat!)

The laceweight ordered came in the same package (thanks to Carol for saving me postage) The colorway is CopperBeach and it will have to wait in my stash for a bit while the ISE3 scarf and Hop-a-long socks are being finished.

The colors and quality of Black Bunny is incredible and I can't wait to order more. I've already asked for some red/rust/plum in a worsted weight - I have the perfect pattern chosen and can't wait to receive the yarn after it is ready.




Last week I broke down and ordered this yarn from Scout. It was hand dyed especially for me and shipped right out. The colorway is Harlot's Mums. Each skein is 420 yards - I buy 2 of everything!

Scout has a line of Hurricane sock colors - check them out on her site
I will DEFINITELY want to knit with this soon!


Last but not least, I received the pattern for the

I Love My Scarf Exchange Pal!

Your messages are great. I love the chat and feel sorry for the rest of the participants who should be VERY envious. The excitement is nearly uncontainable.

Hope you are able to catch a few winks to make up for your early morning pattern surfing!

My buddy's pattern has been ordered - I have a wierd quirk that entails always buying at least 2 of everything (you would think I'd have grown up during the Depression). I ordered two possible patterns (at least - heh, heh) and some Koigu and Zephyr yarn that I've been hankering for -- I NEEDED to in order to hit the threshold for free shipping.

Yarn is bliss, pure bliss!

Knitting Wicked

...And knit WICKED I did!

The long Labor Day weekend was kind to me and the knitting goals were accomplished - ALL 3, and here are the photos to prove it.

Little Princesses' sweater is awesome. Some pinks and more yellow would have been more girly, but the finished product is pleasing to the eye. It was going to be shipped this week, but there is a little package to go that is very important and the sweater will have to wait.

During my last visit, I promised a shopping trip and Little Princess knows she needs money from her dad...our shopping is delayed so a package will go out - I will make it back as soon as I can.

How cute can those tiny Calvin's be?

To Little Princess: Keep asking your daddy for money, Aunt Kniterella will be there as fast as she can!

Egebo is also FINISHED - with an adjustment to knit the collar on circulars. The plaited cable turned out nicely and is seamless.

With the way our weather is going, it will probably be worn soon and often this season - bah!

Although Branching Out in Pure Silk did not get blocked, all of the stitches are in - I've made this pattern twice and get a little bored with it. It is a good pattern and is excellent for gifting -- IF you can make yourself finish.

Special Note: Blogger is picture upload is working wonderfully today, the sun is shining - life is good

Mitzi traveled to an Art Fair this summer and thought of me while she was there. She found a scrumptious knitter pin - there was only one left - and she got it for ME! How lucky am I? Good knitting friends are a staple of life and Mitzi is the best!

My far away friend, Sue, might want to nab a few of these for Christmas gifts for her knitting girls!

They have all different hobbies and professions on their site and the craftsmanship is excellent. Most of the photos are of earrings, but you should be able to order the pin if you prefer.

Shout out to Fiber Guru! Theresa FINALLY has an 'official handle' and she hasn't made an appearance on my blog for awhile. She has been wicked busy running to market to purchase loads of good things for Needleworking and gearing up for the holidays (you can't stitch a gift overnight, can you?...) She is teaching on Tuesdays (ha ha, I will see her today!) and her classes are always entertaining. Check out her most recent newsletter and don't forget to sign up for her mailing list!

----I'm off to create something amazing and beautiful!

Knitting Slump? and Tennis

As I labored through the 2nd sleeve of Little Princesses' sweater yesterday, reality hit that I'm in the 'knitting slump'. I am a finishing knitter and have few UFO's - which means I am pretty strict with myself about how many projects I will cast-on before finishing up works in process.

The entrelac sweater will be blocked today and will be a quick sew-up; put on the neck ribbing and it's ready to go.



Branching out which I cast-on during knitacation is nearly finished. I decided to use the entire 2 skeins of the Pure Silk to increase the length.

Egebo is still sitting on the corner of my desk HAUNTING me! It's true, I feel it's presence RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT - it justs need sewn together - it's been blocked - arggg!

These 3 things must be completed for me to be in tip-top Scarf Exchange conditioning - By the end of the weekend (long) I will have them complete!




Off the subject:
Did you see Agassi's match last night? Oh my gosh, it was FANTASTIC! Wouldn't it be fabulous if he could retire on top? Well, at least make it to the final match? His opponents are being boo-ed and it seems the entire stadium is filled when he plays. Go Andre, we're rootin' for you!

International Scarf Exchange!!!

Back Home Again?
We made it home from the beach...and it is 15 degrees cooler here which means I am very unhappy!

Actually, for more reasons than that - the sunset in this photo takes my breath away. It may be the incredible memories associated with it - all of the kids were there (which meant much dissention) and the bugs were biting even with the skeeter stick - it was still truly incredible!



The Scarf Exchange is coming, The Scarf Exchange is coming!!!
In catching up on e-mail, I ran across the International Scarf Exchange beginning very soon - jump on the skein and sign up! Seriously, I've wanted to participate in an exchange but the timing has been off. Plus, there is the memory left from my 6th grade gift exchange where I got the crud gift and the really cool present I really wanted (the one I brought) went home with someone else... not to scare off my pal!

This is an opportunity to participate for a minimal investment - I can't wait!

I've submitted my questionnaire and am looking forward to finding out who my pal will be

Knitacation

How could a vacation be better?

Sand
Surf
Family
Knitting
...Not in that order!

FAMILY
Ok, all parts of vacation aren't EASY...how often is it that you spend 24 hours a day with your family members? Sure, you love them, but you discover those little nuances about each other's personalities that you've forgotten that you love (and those you forgotten because you don't).

The weather has been fabulous - I LOVE it hot and humid, Mother Nature is cooperating! The doggies are not heat tolerant so they've been enjoying the air conditioning a lot and go out for their walks in the evening. Lucy jumped into the pool immediately upon arrival. Apparently, she can swim, but Bugg fished her out and she has not chosen to go swimming again. Sadly, no pic of that

SURF
Bugg and I sat on the beach and were lucky enough to see a pod (is 'pod' the right word?) of Dolphin playing just off the beach. They stayed for quite awhile - some swimmers stayed and others made a beeline for the shore. Fins are fins and after a small shark swam up in inches of water a few years ago, I rarely go in above my ankles. I was finishing up Deb Macomber's A Good Yarn that a friend sent on vacation with me and missed a Sting Ray jumping up out of the water, but Bugg enjoyed seeing it.

SAND
...Dare I say more? Sand is nice when it is on the BEACH, not when it comes to you on shoes, in cars, or hidden in swim suit creases

KNITTING

Of course, I brought knitting! Bugg's Lucy bag went into the washing machine as soon as we arrived - We love it, but thought the strap could be longer.

I dug out the yarn for an Entralac sweater for the littlest princess and have finished the back.



Needing a break, I cast-on Debbie Bliss pure silk for the Branching Out pattern from Knitty. I had made this pattern out of some cream-colored alpaca last year (Christmas gift). It turned out well and I thought the melon colored silk would be interesting.



Bugg's bug (yarn bug, that is) has continued - I haven't purchased yarn for myself, but we took time to put together yarn for Periwinkle by Louisa Harding - a cute wrap that she will start soon.


OTHER
I finished A Good Yarn AND my re-reading of Steinbeck's East of Eden. Dad slipped me a book by Lawrence Block that I will read next - Dad said it had some 'dirty parts' and a little smut is always good when you are on the beach. I found it interesting that on the dedication page, Block indicated The Earth is Flat - this book was published in the '70's. I read John Friedman's recent The World is Flat, I wonder if there will be any similarities in Block's publication (not likely). Just a closing thought, we'll see where it goes.

Evolution of Dance Link

This link is funny - no, it's not my husband!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMH0bHeiRNg

Will road trip for yarn!

Finally! I finished my Sea Shell Bag - It does look like the picture on the pattern, but the pattern required too much construction for me to LOVE it. It is also a bit big. I found the shells at Bead Haven. WOW! They have a lot to choose from.

Bugg has caught 'the bug'. She is metamorphosizing in front of my eyes - becoming a yarn-a-holic (like me).

It wasn't difficult to talk her into going with me during that week of driving I mentioned a few posts ago. We planned to leave early on a Friday morning - we would drive a couple of hours, get the work finished, and hit a canoe livery well before lunch. We stuck to our plan and finished in plenty of time, but it was 68 degrees! I was willing to dredge forward with the plan, but even Bugg thought it a bit cool to be getting into the water.

We fished out the Shop Finder from Knitter's and headed out on a mission! By the time the day was through, we had explored 3 1/2 yarn stores - I will explain.

Our first stop was at Apple Tree Lane in Clare, MI. The shop doesn't look like a yarn store. They offer many gift-type items and other craft materials. Tucked into a side room, we discovered a very nice selection of fiber. Bugg finally found the colors she was hunting for the felted Lucy bag.


The owner's daughter was very helpful and interactive, AND she had just finished her first sweater!

Next up, Midland, MI. We were hunting for The Granny Square (more on that in a moment), but ran into some problems with directions. After a call to work for clarification (thank you, TH and BW) we arrived at Lily Lane Knits. The shop was small, but had many brands to choose from. The Debbie Bliss Pure Silk tempted me, but we left with a link to Layla and Bugg plans to make it in the future.

Feeling adventuresome, we headed back toward The Granny Square...this is how I KNOW that Bugg is hooked:

Have you ever gone to a shop and, through the extremely rough exterior, discovered a wonderful array of offerings that you didn't know how you lived without? The Granny Square is DEFINITELY not that for me! Remember, I am a self-professed yarn snob...I didn't want to even touch anything in the shop. It was small, crowded (not with yarn), and felt dirty. The front of the store contains used stuff - maybe antiques, I wouldn't get close to it. Bugg was browsing and touching and happy just being near any fiber. When she was finished, I dashed to the car to make my getaway!

It was getting late and we had time for one more stop and honed in on Yarns & Such in Freeland-we never found the shop.

Summary:
Apple Tree Lane - Two knitted swatches
Lily Lane Knits - Could get by with swatch
The Granny Square - Don't buy the yarn to knit a swatch
Yarns & Such - N/A

Part 2: Crochet 101


My crochet lesson from Stitcher Bomb last week was a success! Many thanks to SB for the help and the company. This picture chronicles my progress (or lack thereof) after 2 hours. Not to worry, The stitch is repetitive and I have been zooming along ever since.





I quickly decided that I really wanted the RY Cashcotton for my picnic rug soooooo - this one will become a Christmas gift for a very lucky someone (I hear the bantering begin, everyone will want it). The colors are kind of masculine, don't you think (hint, hint).

2nd Place Felted Foo Foo Bag

The Yarn Garden held a felted purse contest and this bag (my first official design) came in 2nd. Bugg immediately claimed it and carries it often. Queen Moo (Ma) snagged the first one I made and a pic of hers is at the end of this post. The Queen's purse has the 'D' ring detail.

FREE KNIT PATTERN
Materials
10 ½ Circular Needles
700 Yards Worsted Weight Wool
40 Yards Eyelash
1 - Large ‘O’ Ring (or bauble of your choice)
4 - ‘D’ rings that coordinate with bauble (if desired)
Coordinating fabric for lining (if desired)

About Gauge:
I don’t know any knitter that likes to swatch, so jump on in and start knitting. Relax and keep the stitches a little loose. This bag will be felted and small differences in stitch size will not be apparent in your completed masterpiece!

If you must compare, my gauge with Cascade 220 is 14 sts and 19 rows to 4 inches

Directions:
Create the bottom of your bag:

Using waste yarn, cast on 50 stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl
**Switch to yarn for your purse**
Rows 3-47: Knit (garter stitch)
**You will have 22 ridges across your knitted piece**

Begin the sides of your bag:

Round 1: Knit the 50 stitches on your needles; Pick up 1 stitch in the corner; Pick up 21 stitches down the side; Pick up 1 stitch in the corner; Cut away waste yarn and transfer 50 stitches onto spare knitting needle (or the other end of your circular needles); Continuing around the bottom of your bag, Knit the 50 stitches that came from the waste yarn; pick up 1 stitch in the corner; Pick up 21 stitches down the side; Pick p 1 stitch in the corner
**You should have 146 stitches on your needles**

Place a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of your rounds. Bag is worked in the round from here.

Round 2: K50, K2TOG, K19, K2TOG, K50, K2TOG, K19, K2TOG -4 sts decreased, 142 sts on needle (marker is here)
Rounds 3-60: Knit with yarn for your purse
Rounds 61-63: Knit with yarn for your purse held together with Eyelash
Rounds 64-72: Knit with yarn for your purse
Rounds 73-78: Knit with yarn for purse held together with Eyelash
Rounds 79-96: Knit with yarn for your purse
Round 97: Purl with yarn for your purse
Round 98: Knit 10; Bind off 28 stitches (one stitch is left on the needle from Bind off); Knit 10 stitches; Place 1 stitch left from Bind off and 10 knit stitches on one stitch holder (#1); Bind off 21 stitches (one stitch is left on the needle from Bind off); Knit 10 stitches; Place 1 stitch left from Bind off and 10 knit stitches on one stitch holder (#2); Bind off 28 stitches (one stitch is left on the needle from Bind off); Knit 10 stitches; Place 1 stitch left from Bind off and 10 knit stitches on one stitch holder (#3); Bind off 21 stitches (one stitch is left on the needle from Bind off); Knit 10 stitches; Place 1 stitch left from Bind off and 10 knit stitches on one stitch holder (#4); Knit 10 stitches.

**You should have 11 stitches left on your needles**
Begin the straps for your bag

Strap 1
Knit 150 rows

If using ‘D’ Rings: Continue to knit for 6 additional rows.

**If NOT using ‘D’ Rings, you must be careful not to twist your strap while attaching it**

Attach your first strap:

Graft 11 stitches on needle to 11 stitches on holder #1

Strap 2
With right side of bag facing you, transfer 11 stitches from holder #2
Re-join yarn for your bag
Knit 150 rows

If using ‘D’ Rings: Continue to knit for 6 additional rows.

**If NOT using ‘D’ Rings, you must be careful not to twist your strap while attaching it**

Attach your second strap:

Graft 11 stitches on needle to 11 stitches on holder #4

Make your Purse Flap

**23 stitches are picked up in the middle of one side of your purse where you bound of 31 stitches**

With right side of bag facing you, go in 4 stitches from one strap edge, pick up 23 stitches

**You should see 4 stitches between the end of the end of your needle and the side of the next strap**

Rows 1-16: Knit
Row 17: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)
Row 18: Knit
Row 19: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)
Row 20: Knit
Row 21: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)
Row 22: Knit
Row 23: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)
Row 24: Knit
Row 25: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)
Row 26: Knit
Row 27: Knit 2 stitches, SKP, Knit to last 4 stitches, K2TOG, Knit 2 stitches (2 stitches have been decreased)

**11 stitches remain on your needle**

Knit 36 rows

Bind off all 11 stitches

Felting your purse

Everyone has their favorite way to felt. This bag was painfully felted in a front-load washer and it took a few cycles to get it to the desired size. I do not like to see ridges in my felting and prefer to continue washing until the fabric is smooth and free of ridges.

Finished purse measured 11” tall and 10 ½ inches wide.

Once felted to the desired size, I pulled and shaped the bottom into an oval and shaped the flap. I always stuff my felted items with newspaper and continue to change it until the item is dry.

Finishing your purse

If using ‘D’ rings: Leaving ¾“ of the strap on the bag, cut the longest part of each strap from your purse
**You will have 2 completely separated straps and the body of your purse with ¾” ’nubs’ sticking up from the 4 areas where the straps were attached**

Using your leftover bag yarn, sew the ’D’ rings on by putting each ’nub’ through the straight part of the ring and attaching the ’nub’ to the inside of your purse

Re-attach the straps (being careful not to twist straps and attaching them front-to-front and back-to-back of your purse-otherwise, your arm will not go through the purse your correct way) . I used a sewing machine and stitched the end of the felted strap to the inside after threading it through the ‘D’ ring.


If desired, using a sewing machine with a decorative stitch and coordinating thread: Stitch along the long sides of the straps - this will prevent your straps from stretching

Wrap the end of your purse flap through the large ‘O’ ring and sew the strap end to the back of the strap. The end of the ‘O’ ring should hang about 3” from the bottom of your purse.

Cut a sturdy piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the bottom of the bag in an oval shape. Insert the cardboard and line purse with coordinating material.






Original pattern created by Kniterella 11/2005

Stash elimination...Not!

How much Manos is enough?

I'm not sure that there is an answer, but while organizing my stash (secret closet) this week I re-discovered many hanks of Manos del Uruguay. I have one completed sweater out of this yarn and found it to be extremely hot.

Isn't that what a sweater is supposed to be? I've talked with other knitters about this fact and I promise it's not me (or any medical condition). It truly is hot to wear - please let me know if you know why...

Someone had an extremely good sale on Manos at one time or another and I planned to make pillows (I think) for Secret Agent U. This has obviously not happened.

Downsizing the stash

Gasp! Don't worry--this DEFINITELY did not happen. My yarn is loved. Well, most of it. The Katia Sherry re-appeared. The explanation to BDCH was that when you begin knitting, "you'll buy ANYTHING on sale". He did promise to vacate my space indefinitely until the sorting was complete. A discussion resulted and he SWORE not to haphazardly dispose of any fiber should I come to an untimely end (I hear my friends sighing with disappointment). Anyway, there is very little in my stash that I would willingly part with. Yarn snob comes to mind and MOST of my purchases were made accordingly. There are the 'new knitter' exceptions -- like Katia Sherry-a boat load lives in a bag outside the secret closet door and is waiting for someone to appreciate it for what it could become.

Stacks and stacks of material that had invaded my yarn space were hauled out which made enough space to clear the door, somewhat... OK, honestly: Things are more organized, but there is just as much out in the open as when I started and I just can't figure it out. It isn't because a yarn shopping trip occurred (actually, it did - but the purchases were minimal).

The yarn inventory spreadsheet is updated and is probably about 3/4 finished. Whew!

Finished knits without models


Scarves rarely come off of my needles. The occasional gift might whip up for the holidays, but the whole 'fun fur' phase did me in. There are knitters who absolutely LOVE to knit scarves with fun fur - I am not one of them!

A scarf exception was made this week - the Coastal Scarf from Knit Picks (as modeled by Lucy) because Bugg is gone AGAIN ---Argg!

Last but not least- Homestead Needle Arts Garage Sale

What a novel idea - you take any item ( Needlepoint related) to the store labeled with a price and Theresa (she hated her dubbing of 'Flosstitute' and I haven't thought up a new name yet) will mind the mob. I do mean MOB!

T said that no one came at opening time - OM gosh, did she fib...it wasn't intentional, how could she have known?

Anyway, there were a few things that Bugg would like and much fiber that came home with me. All at much discounted prices (which leaves more money for yarn!)

Speaking of which, it would be COOL if one of the yarn stores had an event structured like this! Imagine the store credit you could rack up by just selling the part of your stash that you didn't want anymore...

Road Trips, Turtles, Knitting, and Salad

Shimmer in Flower Garden color E850
Discouragement has nearly set in -- Nothing is getting finished. There are plenty of reasons why, like driving and taking care of my youngest son's pets for just a few. The road has not been my friend, I have driven a gabazillion miles this week for work. These miles have led to places I hope to never see again - obscure little towns I had never heard of let alone knew existed.


The pets...I LOVE animals and always thought of being a veterinarian, but 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 turtles, 1 fish, 1 hamster, and a flock of Canadian Geese that refuse to quit ruining the yard have done me in. My youngest son - E.A. - has not appeared here yet, but his turtles
are making their debut...We brought the tiny turtles back from vacation for him 2 years ago. He was ecstatic and took very good care of them...for a while. Turtles are nasty and they smell very bad! His room smelled, I cleaned it, it still smelled. After a hesitant phone call, we decided that the turtles would be much happier if they lived in the pond out back. Pictures were promised and we launched the turtles - bon voyage! One problem down.




Darby and Lucy chase the geese away whenever we notice that they are in the yard (geese are more quiet than you might think). Two problems down. No, I didn't make the sweaters.

Waffles the outside cat was sneaky enough to get past BDCH into the house and went after Miss Kitty (inside cat). The result was not pretty (but BDCH's response was) Bugg and I witnessed him chasing after Waffles with a (hee hee hee) rolled up newspaper. Three problems down and I can live with this.
Please note: Actual animals were not maimed or harmed in any way during these events.

Where does this leave my knitting? I've finished all of the parts to the sea shell bag and need to sew 'er up, Egebo is blocked and needs to be sewn together, and my needlepoint stocking is limping along slowly. Indulgence arrived on my doorstep...again...in the form of Shimmer from Knit Picks AND a set of their new convertible needles. The needles are FABULOUS and for under $60 bucks (free shipping, too) you can't beat them. They are smooth and fast and not grainy at all. HONEST, they aren't paying me to say this!

The companion yarn was chosen during last weekend's road trip to Thread Bear. They didn't have a pink that would work and I substituted a violet-blue instead. Honest, I only bought 5 balls (EXACTLY what I needed) and ONE pattern. Stitcher Bomb is lined up for my first crochet lesson next Friday - wooohooo!

What does salad have to do with any of this? Nothing, really. Bugg just made a salad and thought it looked beautiful like the ones that BDCH make for her all of the time so we took a picture

Work interferes with Knitting!

But I did find time to finish one sock (which may be a bit small for the giftee), all pieces to Egebo sweater which is being blocked, AND order more yarn. Hey, the sale at Mass Ave was too much for my brain. While glancing at my List of Desires, there were a couple of projects that had yarn requirements. I NEEDED the yarn!

Have you SEEN the Picnic rug in RY Classic Summer Book Eleven? Oh my gosh! I HAVE to make it! I've chosen Jo Sharp 8 ply DK Wool for this baby - those colors--Susan didn't have a substitute for the pink which means a road trip, darn. The plan is to locate something from ThreadBear Fiberarts. ThreadBear is an experience in itself-I can't think of a fiber that they don't stock. BDCH was VVVVEEERRRYYY patient the last time I visited - I felt guilty for days (not). It took an extremely long time to peruse all of their offerings before I settled on a Fair Isle bag and wool for a Celtic cardigan (both of which are in line for the needles).

Back to the picnic rug - It is crochet. Did I mention that my crochet skills are limited to the basics? The 'lobster claw' has been successfully added to a couple of shell sweaters and looks fabulous. When it comes to actually constructing something with crochet, luck has not been with me. Stitcher Bomb has agreed to teach me this pattern and it looks easy enough once the middle is made. We will set the date as soon as the pink wool is acquired (I possess a burning need to have all materials at-hand before any knitting occurs).

Family visits, summer hours at our venue, and moving have disrupted Knitnite with Mitzi. I'm missin' you, lady! Remember - lift with your legs, not your back!

A Tale of Two Princesses

Bugg was the only sister/daughter/granddaughter in the family for 14 years and she enjoyed the coveted roll immensely. She received the title 'Princess' at a very early age and worked hard to modify the meaning of the word. When the Second Princess arrived in 2004 it was clear that Bugg loved her greatly and enjoyed the benefits of being a cousin...BUT she also held tightly to the title she had earned and lived all of her life.

Knitting began immediately when we heard that a baby was on the way. Yarn in yellows and variegated baby colors was purchased and was knit to become hats and sweaters. When the 2nd Princess arrived, she came on my youngest son's birthday - he didn't like sharing his birthday at all, but that is for another blog entry. It was evident that there were going to be some changes.

The 2nd Princess is a joy to us all! Her personality is very evident and resembles Aunt Kniterella's more than her parents would like to admit. I see a future in sailing through every knit store in town touching EVERY fiber, choosing the BEST colors, and heading home with bags and BAGS of new possibilities - with BOTH princesses in tow!

The 2nd Princess will be a shopper - I know, I can spot them a mile away. This is the perfect opportunity for me to get even with my brother - he was MEAN growing up (come to think of it, he still is). Age and two kids has softened him a bit, but he is still mean! I will help coach the 2nd Princess to be the best shopper and soon she will request her own Gold Card - her dad will not be able to say 'no' because she is a Princess. The yarn will be ours!




Sale yarn will entice a knitter into doing things that might not be totally rational. The Cass St. Depot had Skye Tweed from Classic Elite - on sale! What a deal, nearly $2.00 off each ball. The color - spring green. There was just enough for the cabled pullover AND it was on sale. The down side? it is a bit scratchy. Grandpa hated the color and still contends that it is too ugly for The 2nd Princess to be seen in.

I altered the middle cable by putting in a couple of reverse stockinette stitches at the base of each cable. This change made the center cable look more like a tree. Overall, the sweater turned out alright, but The 2nd Princess must have gi-normus brain because I cast off 4 times going up a needle size for each attempt just because this cute sweater won't fit over her head. If it won't fit this time, I will abandon the ribbed collar and replace it with a rolled one. It will be ready when the cool winds of the Fall begin to blow.

As for the First, Original, Truly One-and-Only Princess -- she receives hand-knit articles often. She has had many sweaters, hats, mittens, socks, and miscellaneous garments made for her. Love is knit into every stitch - she wears few of these beautiful items. This isn't because she does not like the yarn, style, or color - it is because she truly is a Princess. And I wouldn't change any of it for the world.
The 'Original Princess' - Bugg