Quick Turn Around

I'm back, but just for 2 days. Got home Friday night, and only have time to go see the gals at the Cottage, then one day--today-- for cleaning the car (!!!blah!!!!), repacking (!!!yuck!!) and back out again. Absence DOES make the heart grow fonder at home, and Lamar is helping me so much...maybe he likes me better GONE. Oh well.....I like him better suddenly, too!

My last road trip (S. Carolina coast) was a blast, in spite of the horrible cold I had the whole time....I always claim I "never" get sick, and I even said it to somebody the day I came down with it. I need to consider revising that particular boast of mine, cause it was a killer, still is, a little. My yarn mentor is fun, especially, cause I think she's new to the "girlfriends roadtrip!" thing. We actually have planned ANOTHER trip (guess I need more training!), but I am taking it as a compliment....we had a good time & some good food & great laughs, both hoarse from talking so much. Just too bad we had to do the whole trip in two cars. We both have to carry so many samples, it is ridiculous. Next trip, I am hoping to already have a van for this job. I have resisted the idea, not wanting to have higher gas expenses, but there is no way out of it. I guess I will have to become a soccer mom after all. I am imagining "Dream-Create-Inspire-Nurture" signs on the van, what do you think?

Tomorrow, I leave for a week in Atlanta, then from ATL, I go to NJ to stay with my folks for 2 weeks. Me & Barb should have a good-ole string time with lots of sewing, knitting, crocheting and QVC shopping thrown in. The 19th, I go back to Atlanta and back to work. With Feb a short month, I wonder if I will be home before Feb's over?

Another trip to the Carolina coast awaits in March, the North this time, and back up to NJ at the end of the month. I feel like I'm in the Amazing Race, "oh, the great wall of China!....Oh, the leaning tower of Pisa, oh....the Eiffel Tower!"...as they run, breathless, exhausted, not even able to stop & have a cafe-au-lait or a hot tea. I've been having fun, but sometimes I wonder, how did I get myself into this mess? Kind of like a tangled ball of yarn!

Brand-New Suitecase

I just finally received the color rings for HPKY yarns, WOWEE! And don't they look cute in this "suitcase" I found upstairs in the attic?

Some things OTN (Off The Needles!)

Finished a few things, like ONE sock, a nice vest made from Hand Painted Knitting Yarn's Giant Skein (10 oz - Madame Butterfly colorway). I added some ribbon from my stash for shine. Random knitting, and Jane Thornley's pattern. I love this thing!

These are some things I was meaning to post over the last few weeks, but there never seems to be time. I am emptying my camera today for a trip down to FL and SC. Maybe I will get a some good pictures for a change!

On the trip, I will work on my other purple cabled sock (Vilai, from Cookie A.'s Sock Innovation book, my favorite sock book, EVER..well, I guess it is just as great as Sensational Socks by Charlene Schurch). Plus, I need to start on a commission for 7 (count em!!) Christmas stockings modelled after the one in the picture on the left. Because it has such tiny stitches (21,000 stiches each, plus a sewn in lining), I asked if I can knit it on thicker yarn so it won't take so long to make SEVEN of them (maybe 10,000 stitches each, BTW). Anyway, as you can see, the thicker yarn swatch worked up pretty well, so I am off and running!

Don't Know Why I Love This!

This is a stretch of road that was pure NOTHING in the old days, a long boring part of every road trip east. I meant to also get a shot of the dinosaur, which I'm sure everyone has already seen at one time or another. The dinosaur was the ONLY thing to see in the desert when I was a a kid (and I guess there are folks who didn't even have a dinosaur!). Now, the wind farms always intrigue me into taking meaningless pictures like this one. Thought I'd share. FYI: it was a still day and they weren't turning at all. Weird.

Reminded Me of Picot!

This little dog, who I met on the street in Long Beach, CA, had the cutest little coat. Her daddy said, "my wife makes them from scraps!". I wanted to make one for Picot someday!






Here is Picot in her Christmas coat:
You can get the knitting chart (has lots more knitting motifs on it, too, from my ravelry patterns download page).

The Glamourous Flouncy Flouncy

Well, it's not "me", but just finished this cute little shawlette for Rhonda. Beads and Sequins and lots of interesting little things. Pretty cute. Now on to the next project...

Stocking Factory

The annual rush to finish reproduction Christmas Stockings is on. Let's hope Kate Gosselin or the Octomom don't get my phone number.

Finished Warmer set

In case you want to see a picture of the finished Tudora & Fetching set. I think they look great together, don't you?

A Few F.O.s to report

I am working on so many projects (and driving so much!), nothing gets finished very often. I did however, just finish off a special pair of booties for a dear friend getting a new grandbaby soon. I also am pretty far (all 3 are started, so I guess maybe 40% done) into the making of 3 reproduction Christmas stockings. Also finished the glove & neck warmer set for my stepmom. Off to see her again in a few days. Back to the knitting, then.

My new Roommates!

Meet my new roommates! Rolling down the road, in a clown-car full of yarn. Looks like a crazy lady with lots and lots of glorious hand painted yarns. Someday I will tell the zany spacebag story, and those who know me well think I am totally normal, in spite of it all. Check out Jane Thornley's patterns if you want to see one of many reasons why I am so excited about these yarns, and I have lots of free patterns, too. They come in DK or Worsted Weights, 40 different colorways, Donegal Sock yarn, and Merino Tweed.


We are having a great Trunk Show at the yarn Cottage in Fairhope during Thanksgiving week. Don't miss out!

Back Home & Knitting Again

I am home, and can finally work on some of my projects. I have lots of things in progress, and still starting new stuff. In my travels, I got the book, Sock Innovation by Cookie A. WOW! What a gorgeous book. I intend to make every pair of socks in it. I started with "Vilai" which is covered in beautiful trellis work and ribbed cables, using HPKY's Donegal sock, in the Don Giovanni colorway. These would make wonderful gloves as well. I can't stop, and there are so many other things I should be doing. Oh well. Can you see why I love them? Brain food.

Just Gimme the Yarn & Nobody Gets Hurt

Carol, one of my customers today, just had to dig into her new yarn immediately! She was so distracted by winding it up, I felt ignored. "Oh well, have fun, bye!", I said as I headed out to my next stop. The Giant Skeins sure are wonderful stuff, and selling like hotcakes!

Knitting Bug Bites

Thank you, mother nature! Cool weather is here, and I got the kniting bug. Making a set with this neck warmer, plus a pair of fingerless gloves. A gift for my stepmom, Barbara.

Message To My Fans

After being accused of neglecting my followers (har har), I am updating my blog. I have been doing lots and lots of knitting (and tatting), and even produced a pumpkin the other day! I just am a little stalled on some projects ( some of you may remember a couple of things that have never showed up finished..I am so ashamed).

Here you will see a felted slipper in Galway that I think is almost ready for frogging, since I don't like the wide stripes. Anyway, I was planning to do a solid slipper with a needle-felted monogram...so how I ended up making stripes is a mystery.

Below is a raspberry colored (YAY!) SWTC Bamboo top, called the Lotus Blossom Tank from Interweave Knits. I made it before, and I'm makin it again, I love it so much! I am also doing a SWTC Lacey Shell ( my own pattern) in Turquoise Terra, which I absolutely love for the sheen, cottony-ness (but not heavy-ness) and the comfort for wearing in the tropics is great. There are some tatted baby-bootie-bottoms-below!

OK, It's Fall..Fabulous Fibers from Fedex

Just got a huge Hand Painted Knitting Yarns shipment via FedEx. All Hand Painted (go figure!) Might I interest you in some 10 oz Giant Skeins? They are enough to make a great shawl or plenty to make one of the top down shrugs I recently made up (see below in purple for a pic). All of the sock and giant skeins have colorways named after operas: Norma, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, Loehengrin, Figaro, Figaro, Figaro! (I don't think there is one named Figaro!)




Who wants to knit some socks?









Right this minute, I wanna Tat! Gonna start a pair of booties if I have the right size thread. Wish me luck.

Stood Up & Stranded

I guess if you are gonna get stood up, you need to be in good place. I am. Got provisions & knitting, too.

The Cake

Might as well prove we made the cake! It looks a little different by now.

F.O.s today!

More F.O.s today. A totebag, 2 hats, and that's about it for today! Posted my shrug pattern on ravelry, too! Also went running in the morning and baked a wonderful apple cake with Lamar helping...yes, you heard me right!

Shrug pattern posted

The pattern is now posted on my ravelry patterns page. All sizes from X-Sm- to X-Lg. I think it came out great!

Finished the Shrug +++

Just finished the one-ball Giant Skein shrug. It measures 40" around and actually took LESS than one ball. I'm working on writing up the pattern right now (also working on a Michelob Ultra). Also finished a Trio knit tote. I have made these before, but this time, I am going to put a lining in it. Maybe later tonight. Also have a neat little mitered-square hat (my own design, since I couldn't find one that was just right) started in Hand Painted Knitting Yarn's Tweed Thick & Thin, as well as a RED felt hat in Cascade 220. I am not discussing all my other unfinished projects. I am sure they will all get done one day soon. I have about 3 or 4 more in my brain, just about to pop out and get onto the needles. Finish 2, start 4, right?