Camp Finds

I'm going to start the camp redux blogs a little different.  Usually, I start with Day 1 and give you the low down.  This year Camp was a little different-Joyce Williams was sorely missed by all.  Char was missing from our group from Central IL as were others.  It seemed like just a little tough year for all.  But, Camp was fantastic as always and my mind is just making mental notes of everything.

I did not take as many pictures of show and tell this year, even though there were tons of great ideas.  And I did not take the usual run down of pictures of the contest entries.  It was just too difficult to make way through the crowd to do it, but suffice it to say some were hilarious, well thought out, amazing knitting pieces.  And the prizes were great and well deserved.  All received prizes for entering.

Anyway, what I really wanted to start out with is all the wonderful purchases I made.  Once again, I came home with too much and the consensus in our car coming home was that it is really time to get a knitting plan for the stock we have.  You know the story if you are a knitter.

So here we go-
The very first night, there were bags from past knit camps for $5.  Like I need another bag, but this I could not pass up.

I didn't even get out of our room until I had purchased yarn from Linda.  I have made a shawl out of the Bluet Dancing Colors by Cheryl Oberle, and have wanted to make a second Fundamentally Faroese for sometime.  I had planned on buying some from Cheryl on Saturday, but Linda had this goodie that she had bought twice so we made a deal on it.

My new best friend, Chris of Briar Rose has been diligently dyeing yarn to help me find a decent match for my Long Collared Coat from Knit One Knit All.  She came to class on the first day,with huge bundles of possibilities and we found this one that is a great coordinate for it.  Chris is simply amazing and so generous.  Her yarn is pretty darn good as will become evident!



The first table I always go to is Cheryl Oberle.  She too is my new best friend is such a lovely lady and knitter.  She is so warm and her yarn. Can you say ohhhhhhhhhhhh,  ahhhhhhhhhhh?  She has these great colors that she dyes and she must never stop doing it.  Oh what would I do.  This little goodie is Gossamer. 

As it's name implies, it is just like Gossamer.  It will be a very fine shawl one day.  I have been thinking about this one forever and finally it has made its way home to me.

This is Sea Pearl from Chris at Briar Rose.  I probably could have gotten away with one skein since it has great yardage, but now I am so glad I did buy two.  After seeing Susan Rainey's Vitamin D in progress and talking to her about changes to make to one for me, I think this is destined to be one.

There are quite a few shawls out of Sea Pearl over on Ravelry and that is where it first caught my eye and my list for camp purchases.

 Ah,Wistful, also from Chris at Briar Rose.  Yes, I bought this last year in another colorway, but I love this yarn so much that I had to buy it in a new colorway.  I just love the feel of this yarn and could not pass up more.

Last year, ChicKnits knitted a really neat simple cardigan out of a color and yarn similiar to this.  She added red buttons to it and I was sold.  I have been thinking about it ever since.  I had it in my mind that Ultra Alpaca would be perfect for my rendition of it.  I am going to use a pattern from Knitting Pure and Simple to duplicate the look later this year.



One of the cool finds this year from Schoolhouse Press was this really pale lavendar Ultra from Jamiesons.  This is going to be perfect for a shawl from Bridget Roerem that I have wanted to do since I bought the pattern last year.

This makes quite the new stash doesn't it.  So much so that I have decided not to go to Stitches Midwest this year.  I love my new group of yarns and am anxious to jump in and knit a couple of them, well at least swatch!

Lest you think that was it, there were a few books I could not leave on the tables.  On the first day, Meg always gives us the low down on what is coming out and what is new in the line of books.  These are new acquisitions to my library.

And finally, even though I don't cook, I do like cookbooks and I had to get Meg's sister's cookbook.  Fellow campers have talked about it on Ravelry and so it goes.

Lest you think this is it, Brigid had a pair of Danskos that has a knit theme.  I ordered them this morning from Zappos and will let you know how I like them when I get them.  Several campers bought them on their way home and ordered them while at camp.  For me the jury will be out until I get them.  I'm a sucker for knit theme shoes and clogs - but that is another post for another day.