My Weekend Adventures

8/2/08

I read brooklyntweed's blog so I already knew I liked these mittens. Stopped by the book store to see if Vogue had hit the newsstands yet. I didn't even see the title until after I have picked it up because of the cover. I love the cover. It has it all, color, texture, expression, balance. I rarely buy a magazine but I brought this one home in part because of the cover. Thankfully I like some of the projects and articles inside as well.






My husband is in Sturgis for the big motorcycle rally. The original plan was for wives to go along but I couldn't go because of work and other wives had other issues. We wanted to take a support vehicle so the guys wouldn't have to carry so much on the bikes, we could take turns riding with our guys and we could actually lock up things like cameras. My husband almost never travels without a camera. This week he will have been in at least four states other than Kansas with no camera.
So with a week to myself, other than work, the fair, and who knows what else crops up I hope to get a good amount of knitting done. That much knitting requires a few movies. I went to the section marked 2/$1 and picked up some that I wanted to see and some I had never heard of. I actually got home with one I didn't intend to get. It may turn out to be the best of the bunch.

Saturday morning I took four projects to the county fair. Two received red ribbons, one didn't receive a ribbon at all and I didn't expect it to. It was one of the scribble lace shawls and other than the yarn they are nothing special. My Everlasting Bagstopper, I don't remember if it got a ribbon or not. Our display space is adequate at best. To see the bag I had to get down on my knees to look at the bottom shelf. Next to my bag was a lovely garment of some sort but I couldn't see the tag to see whose it was or what it was. There were several other items in the same predicament. I believe when we meet at the fair for knit night this week we will be discussing the display situation.


On my way home I stopped at a couple of garage sales. I found this lamp. It works. I don't usually go for things like this but it kind of spoke to me. Once I find a shade that works with it will decide its fate. At this point I am thinking of sanding it down and spraying it with one of the paints that looks like stone. I might also do some sort of mosaic or decoupage treatment. Time will tell.















My other garage sale purchase was this box of beads. A nice little assortment to add to my collections.








My last stop was at the craft store in town. They have everything BUT yarn. We are trying to talk them into it because they have employees that know yarn. One of the employees raises sheep, spins, dyes, knits and weaves. We will keep trying.
Anyway, they have a pretty decent bead section. I picked up a few things to work on an idea for some stitch markers.








Here I added some beads from the garage sale box.











Now I have added in some of my own beads. I want to keep the grey/silver tones but add a sharp contrast and I think it will be red. I have lots of red beads.


A lamp project and a beading project. I only thought I was going to get a lot of knitting done.





I am test knitting a pattern for a breast cancer fundraising calendar. I don't have a yarn source close by so when I went to "the city" I picked up every pink yarn I could find that would work for a dishcloth.
I am using the mercerized cotton second from the right and it is working up beautifully. Pictures and info. on the calendar at a later date.





Love this car seat blanket pattern but do not like the yarn. I was on my way out the door and needed something quick. It is sooooo yucky but knitting anything on a long car ride is better than knitting nothing. It will make an OK gift for someone or for the grandgirls and their baby dolls. I will knit this pattern again in something much nicer.





















8/3/08
I love ripe fresh from the garden tomatoes. This one has been ripening on the counter for a couple of days and it was perfect on Sunday. I

I am sooooo excited!

Why?

1) A package containing yarn arrived today.

2) It was knit night and our group grew by two more people.

3) I finished another dishcloth. No big deal. I make at least one a month but it is really cute.

4) While watching an episode of "24" I finished my first pair of mittens AND learned to do Kitchener stitch. If I say so myself it looks pretty damn good, on one of the mittens. The first one looks like one my granddaughters tried to help me with the finishing. I attempted to fix it but that kind of made things worse. Oh well, they are mittens, they will be warm and they are finished.

I can't wait for tomorrow after work so I can take pictures of all the excitement.

A day in the city

I am no city girl and I don't particularly like to shop. I do love to eat at different restaurants and since we were shopping for furniture I could endure that. There was not a yarn shop within a reasonable distance and our legs hurt and we still wanted to stop by a book store. There should be more yarn shops so I had to settle for one of the big chains to satisfy my yarn fix.

The furniture pictures will come later as the furniture hasn't been delivered yet.

1/20/08

Cotton yarn for dishcloths or other items requiring cotton. Have to keep the stash up you know.

The brown in the back is needed to finish a grandson's afghan. The color isn't exactly the same of course but I am double stranding with black so hopefully it won't be too obvious. There were skeins in the bin that were almost purple. A lesson learned. Always buy way too much yarn. The stash is always hungry.

1/21/08

I like cottontots for baby hats, kimonos, etc. I don't like using acrylic yarns for baby things. What cotton yarns do you prefer for baby items?

1/22/08

Lion Brand Wool-Ease for a pair of mittens for my daughter. They must be washable because she doesn't need anything that requires special care. Freshmen in college who work and carry an A average (had to brag a little) don't need anymore to think about. I have not knit mittens before and plan to use this pattern. I can't seem to photograph reds well. The yarn is actually has more brown in it but this is pretty too.