Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Got It!

Monday, October 27, 2008

I Better Get On This One

With a little chill in the air and November just a week away, I'd better get busy on this scarf. I have been searchin for sometime for the perfect yarn to make a moebius out of to go with my gray winter coat.

No, this is not a moebius, but it will be just perfect for my winter coat. I picked this yarn up at Mass Ave Knits. They had one knitted up and it caught my eye. It is my carry around knitting for now, but soon to be a scarf for me. And I should have it ready by the time I pull the coat out.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

1st Stop

My first stop on the way to Indy was Needleworks in Champaign/Urbana. I've said it before, but this place has it all! Lots of great yarn, ambiance and a Cheers attitude, no matter how long it has been since you have been there.

And a couple of resident designers. This is another from Matthew Hession. I could not resist his side to side sweater from sock yarn.

It includes the American Doll Sweater. I have a couple of little girls that I might knit this for them out of some leftover sock yarns that I have. Not immediately though, just a thought down the road.

Of course, I had to buy some sock yarn for a couple of them. The Caribe colors are for me for socks.

The Feral Knitter turned me onto this yarn. And Needleworks had it!


Yarn for the tulip sweater. This is probably going to be a late Spring sweater for the new great neice. There is no rush to do it right now.

These are not the same yarns the original was knit from, but one that someone at Needleworks knitted it with. I love the pastels they chose.



The other cool find was the pattern for the same sweater in an adult version. I thought this might be kind of nifty to use up some leftover Cascades?

Yarn Souvenirs, don't you just love an excuse for buying more yarn?

Tomorrow, part 2

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Life Is Hectic!

I barely have checked the home email this week. And next week will just be insane. There is so much to accomplish this weekend too. The weather has finally went to fall and I need to get down and get the turtle necks out and fluffed up. The windows need to be switched over. Bills need to be paid. And I need to see if I can recover my calendar from my archives for my Palm.

Two weeks ago, we made a switch at work on our computers and I discovered late last week that I lost ALL of my Palm stuff both on the desktop at work and when they synced it erased ALL on my Palm Treo. All meaning my contacts and my calendar!

So, being so smug, I said no problem, I have it at home. Well, when I just synced the Palm over rode the desktop and in turn wiped both my calendar and contacts away. No problem.....I'll go to my Archive. It's there, I just need now to wade through it all and reprise it. Thank GOD! I was this far from going back to paper!

I was reminded that I had not shared my yarn souvenirs from last week's trip to Indy. I'll do that starting tomorrow. They really are quite cool!

Thursday, October 23, 2008

This Is Some Kind Of Record

One month later and all I need to do is put the buttons on it and block it. I may get to knit my Top Down Swing Coat next week.

It does feel good to have one done and off the needles.

Now, back to Carol's Clever Shawl.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The Trip

I took an extra half day from work on Wednesday, so that I could do a little yarn shopping on my way to the Conference. First stop in hand was Needleworks in Champaign. I have said it before, but I will say it again. This is like the Cheers of yarn shops. Even after several years of not getting there (we now have yarn shops in are area), Sharon greeted me by name and asked about the tall guy as well as the recent wedding. Of course, she has had help from a couple of yarn buddies, but still it means alot to be remembered.
http://www.cu-needleworks.com/

Of course, I bought yarn and patterns, I'll show those when I have the time. But, suffice it to say for now, there are a couple of projects out there to be done. Nothing really big though.

Second stop, Mass Ave Knits. That place has everything. Except for two things, downtown Indianapolis is the pits to get around in. The one way streets the NW SE quadrants, the construction. Oy!

The owner of Mass Ave was not in, and I could tell. I must have been in the shop a half an hour, and no one approached me at all. Not a hi, not a can I help you. Nothing! I was not acknowledged until I went to pay. Consequently, I didn't buy much.

I did get to see a yarn that I was contemplating for a sweater from the new Mason Dixon book. Rowan Calmer. I was glad that I got a chance to see and feel it. It was not what I wanted.

Then at rush hour, I headed back downtown to find my hotel. Again, Oy....it was not well marked, it was on a one way street that went the opposite direction I was coming in, there was construction, there were people going places. Good thing I had a full tank of gas! I finally made it, checked in, went to my room and knitted. Had dinner with the group, met some new people, went back to the room and knitted!

End of a great day with some minor annoyances.

Friday, October 17, 2008

I'm Home, I'm Beat!

You wouldn't think you would get tired just sittin around for two days, but it happens. Maybe it's the stayin up late and getting up early? Nah! However, last night I did tell myself that I was going to bed early and then my knitting kept me up. That and waiting to see if Tampa Bay was gonna clinch it. They didn't.

I finished the body and started the sleeves, but now I am going to need a couple of balls of yarn. Oh no, that means a trip to Dunlap. I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it! Or is that bare it?

Tomorrow the trip. And what would a trip be without a couple of yarn shop hops? That reminds me, where did I put my yarn shop guide? Hope I didn't leave it in the car with all the vendor items I came back with. I'm gonna have to check that out, but not now the chair and my blankie are callin me.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Tomorrow

I am on my way to Indy for a work conference. If all goes well, I am planning to hit Needleworks in Champaign on the way over and Mass Ave tomorrow afternoon. I am as excited about the two yarn shops as I am the conference.

I am doing the conference solo, and will be meeting new people all over the place. I am so looking forward to that as well. Thursday night we are at the zoo in Indy and when I lived there, I did not even get to the zoo. That should be a great night!

I'll blog when I get back! PS I am taking sweaters...it looks like Fall is here!

Sunday, October 12, 2008

For Linda P in OK


Saturday, October 11, 2008

I Just Had To Buy It

Well, it was just too darn cute to pass up. It was the right color. And it is functional. I'll put it in the yarn room next to my chair and it can hold things.

Did I say it was the perfect color?

And cute?

Purchased at Knit 4 Together in Dunlap.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Making Progress

One week later and I am at the decreases on my Carol's Clever Shawl. I just love Alpaca with a Twist. It is my new favorite yarn.

I'm quite impressed with myself. I have been knitting only on the shawl this week. Thats a record for me. Well, not really, since I was pretty true to my Olympic knitting. It may be time for a break though. This would be a nice project to take to Indy with me next week. And I'd like to have my Swing Coat done so I can wear it this Fall.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

I've Been A Slug This Weekend

I've knitted a bit. Found some errors in the Carol's Clever Shawl with variations that I typed up while knitting it. Read a little. Watched the Cubs lose! Yea and Double Yea! Did some laundry. Sat and watched some Bravo stuff. Fell off the WW wagon.

The weekend is almost over and the days are getting shorter (as in getting darker finished). Tomorrow it is back to work and the days til my boss retires are counting down. Hopefully, in a about a week or so, we'll know what we will all be doing when he retires.

This retirement thing is going to be weird. I've worked with him for more than 14 years. I told him on Thursday it will take me til about Thanksgiving (or the first crisis) to realize that he is not on vacation! It's kind of scary thinkin about it. So, I won't for now.

Back to being a slug!

Friday, October 03, 2008

It's Been A Few Days

Since I blogged. I have been busy doing some knitting. I have been concentrating on the Cabin Fever Top Down Swing Coat. The weather this past few days would have been perfect for it. But, I am not even to the sleeves. These top downs are like that. Now, I know why I like bottoms up more.

Last night, Karen and I met out to Knit 4 Together for knit night. I managed to get out with Norma's yarn, Jo's Yarn and my yarn that Karen and I ordered a few weeks ago for the second Carol's Clever Shawl with Variations. I'm intent on getting this one done, because it too would be perfect for at work right now, when I don't necessarily want to put the whole jacket thing on.

Pictures will follow this weekend on the two projects above.

I took a couple of hours off this morning. I'm going with mom to the doctor for a consult. But, until then, I am enjoying myself. Having a whole pot of coffee, watching the Today show and knitting. Amazing what a couple of hours can do for one!

Well, maybe it being Friday doesn't hurt either!