Satuday Sky

I took the boys to Newlin Grist Mill today for a hike.

The weather was prefect! Nice and cool, some pretty clouds wisping by, you know just an awesome Fall day! It was difficult getting a picture of the sky, with all the great scenery going on around us, but I think you get the idea.
The boys can't wait to go back and explore more trails and next weekend is the Fall Harvest Festival! Who knew this place was hiding around the corner? We only pass it every day on the way to school!

Oh I almost forgot to mention the ducks! Both boys went a little crazy when the ducks swam by!

How many bags of fleece + Contest !

can you fit in YOUR car?





Miss L is moving to FL and needed to de-stash. I kindly offered to help her out. HA! She said how many do you want? I said as many as you want to give me or as many as I can fit in my car.

Here she is with the boy by the packed trunk.



And here is the boy in the back seat (His car seat is on the other side)

I am very excited with all the new fleeces! I plan on sharing with Tala and maybe using some for classes at the shop.

We stopped at the book store and picked up a pack of postcards (for Purl's Grandmom). When we got back in the car it was well, lets say "fragrant". The boy could NOT understand WHY sheep smelled so,um, sheepy. It was a riot. I finally had to tell him sheep don't get to take baths, that is way they smell "sheepy".



CONTEST!!!!!

Guess how many bags of fleece I ended up in my car and win these Beautiful Rovings! They are 3 oz each of superwash wool, ready to spin! Pretty complimentary colors!

I will take contest submissions for 1 week and all that guess the correct number will go into a pool. The winner will be chosen from the pool. Sound good? Hey, I may even add a 2nd prize if there are enough sumbissions!
Leave me a comment with your guess and contact info (or blog!) Winner to be announced October 7th!

So, how many do you think?

Home of the Hand Towels

Here are the handtowels hanging in their home. Don't they all look pretty sitting on the towel rod?

3 projects from ONE skein

of Reynolds Saucy worsted !

A headband
A facecloth
A soap sack

This is what we are doing for the "Spa Knit" classs tonight at the shop. I wanted to do the soap sack too but ws not sure if there would be enough. Well there is with yards to spare!

So come to class and we will knit spa stuff and make scented bath salts and have LOTS of FUN!

Saturday Sky - the curse

Seems like since I signed up for Saturday Sky, we have been overcast and rainy! "THE CURSE OF THE SATURDAY SKY" insert creepy music here... Or is it just another example of what is MY bad luck. (car, tractor, pc, power outage due to drive by line tear out, yes its been fun!)

Really, I am so sorry! I'll try to take a few shots of the sky during the week now, just in case!

September mid month KAL

Here is my dishcloth for the September mid-month KAL on my MonthlyDishcloths · Monthly Dishcloths (Knit-A-Long) Yahoo! Group. This is straight off the needles, unblocked. I like the little waves that the leaf pattern give. I alos like the way the yarn pools, it highlites different areas of the pattern. Neat!

Yarn: Peaches and cream cotton
Needles: KP's size 7's.

2 squares for Purl's Grandmother....

I finished my 2 squares for Grandmother Purl!
I finally chose Cascade 220 superwash in a great melon color. Here is the first one being blocked into submission. The pattern is a "Little Lace" from my Reader's Digest stitch dictionary and the other square is hugs & kisses cables also from the same sitch dictionary.
While I was at it, I did a little stash diving and pulled out these 2 skeins of Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in color Crayon to send to Kristy for "prizes" or whatever she chooses! Now here is the hard part. I have to find a post card. aarruugghh! Where? Where? I know there are out there, geez, I live so close to Philly! I see the Liberty Bell everywhere! So where can I get a postcard that will not make me travel around the city? Maybe I can cheat and just find a nice card to send with it all. I hope to get this in the mail BEFORE next week (the post card and all that).

Ahoy maties! a package from Oz has landed

Lookie what came yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is what Glynnis sent for our tradsies. Loads of Aussie wool, rovings, a felted over soap and the CUTEST Koala with a dishtowel (that I had to wrestle back from the boy)



Here is Gunnar, supervising the photo shoot. Got big, didn't he?






I love tradsies. So much fun. Speaking of fun, I could not resist the brite yellow roving and spun up a bit yesterday! ooohhhhh, merino. Yum. so soft and squishy.

Now to decide what to make with the new wool.... or just arrange it to be admired for a while!

Oh and it is International Talk Like a Pirate Day ! Git yer eye patch out and put a swagger in those hips. We be pirates today

photos pending Blogger upload issues.

Cover Yo Trash

One of my own designs, a book cover that fits a standard paperback. With a page marker! Now you don't need to hide behind a magazine, just slip your pleasure reading into the cover and off you go! I'd like to thank the young lady who was so gracious in letting me take her pic with the book cover. Sorry I didn't get her name, she was in whe her mom shopping for wool! Too Cute! I'm still writing up the pattern, but expect to have it at Technicolor Sheep soon.

Saturday Sky +

Another overcast rainy Saturday! Bleh! What is going on with the weather lately? They say it is going to clear up, but the clouds just keep coming in.

Now look at these boys! How totally cute are they? They came to my kids Spool Knitting class on Friday at Technicolor Sheep. Actually just 2 came, the little guy is mine! T & C are great boys to have in any class. They are extremely well mannered, played well with the little guy and had lots of fun with their spool knitters. I really hope they come to more classes. I'll figure out more boy stuff to do!

Can You Spare a Square? Knit A Square For Grandmother Purl

Knit A Square For Grandmother Purl: Brass Tacks

I love reading Crazy Aunt Purl. She has a great story to tell and I admire her guts for "living out loud". So Laurie aka Purl posted her Grandmom was not well and is in a convalescent hospital. Well the troops are rallying to make a blanket! Go read the story and follow the links.

Can you spare a square? Or 2? And maybe one for her friend Mr. Hakim in room four who is in a wheelchair?

If you are nearby or happen to shop my LYS and would like to drop one or many off, I'll be happy to ship them all out!

Now, what yarn to use? Hmmm...

The Fall Window display

This is where most of my knitting has gone! I think it looks pretty good, but its hard to show in pictures. There are just oodles of knitted and crocheted things calling you to come in to the store. (at least that's what I hope!)

Laura lets me "pretend" I work there and I help with the window display. Actually Jake was a huge help this time, helping me with the fishing line to hang the baby socks from the ceiling.

Of course Scooter is always there to help too! I need to get a pic of her for the blog. She is great! So friendly and clever! Always comes up with great ideas for the display.

Now we need to think of what to do for October....

Lesson Learned...........

Stockinette WILL curl, even when you knit big. Even with really big needles and fingering wool. Bleh.

I don't know what I was thinking. Really. Maybe I thought I could get away with it since it was size 15 needles and fingering weight sock yarn? Dunno.

Anyhoo, here is another scribble lace PAIR of curtin panels for the store. They are behind the desk and I really do think they add a nice bit of color back there!

Specs:
Yarn- 2 balls Roses- color 9
2 balls Fortissima Sock yarn- color 1008
Needles - Denise 15's

Inspired by the scribble lace in Mason-Dixon Knitting

Make 2 panels
Cast on 63 by the knit on method, switch to thin yarn, knit 7 rows, swing around or however and knit 1 row of thick, switch again and knit 7 rows of thin.
Use the K2tog bind off and put the last loop on a Q crochet hook to make the top tabs. Chain 3 , skip 5, sl st into next st. repeat across.
Each panel blocked out to be about 25" x 45"

I'm loving the scribble lace! Fun and fast!

Saturday Sky

Clear and a little hazy this morning, but supposed to be nice and cool all weekend! Can you see all the pine cones on the evergreen? Did you know that they really hurt if they fall on your head? I have a theory the squirrls knock the cones out the the tree on purpose, just as I am walking under. Nasty, sneaky beasties.

Production

I have been a knitting FOOL! Look at all these! First up is another hand towel out of Maggi's Linen.
I used my Kit Picks needles in size 5 and a pattern from the First Barbara Walker that was originally for 3 colors, but I just used 2. The Maggi's Linen really does make a nice hand towel, knit & crocheted. This is the 3rd hand towel I've made for the new store. They look good in the pretty new bathroom! I'm sorry to say that Laura at my LYS is not going to carry it anymore.







Next up is the Face Cloth/headband combo that I am going to use for the "Spa Knit" class. I used Reynolds Saucy, worsted and size 7 needles. I have to say that I did a smaller one and used it, then washed it with the regular laundry and OH BOY did it soften up nice! No special treatment, just in the regular old laundry. Nice!
We are going to knit the face cloth & headband, then make a "packet" from the clothe and put in a small bag of Epsom Salts. The students will have a choice of essential oils to "flavor" the bath salts. I'm going to play some cool music on the cd player and maybe have some snacks. Any other ideas?

Here is a felted messenger style bag that Laura wanted for the Back to School window display. Red and gold are the local school colors.
The pattern is the "Courtney Slingback" and I used Cascade 128, 3 skein of red 1 of gold. I LOVE the 128, it felts fast & even. I'll try to get a pic of the display later. You are supposed to put some buttons on the flap to close it, but we opted to not for now.











Looking for a FAST & FUN baby gift? Try these baby socks from Knits, Knots, Buttons, And Bows: Projects for Babies

I did 6 pair for the shop display and STILL have a load left over. The book had different sizes and you can make a Mommy socks and baby socks out of ONE skein of Cascade 220 Superwash.
The directions specify DPN's, but I used my Denise needles and did them on 2 circs (yes, I have 2 sets of Denise needles, just for this type of thins). I tend to do silly things when I use DPN's, like bring the project close up and poke myself in the face. 2 circs are much less dangerous! Plus, for me at least there are faster.

Not Red

"But Mom, you already maked me a sweater!" This is the response I get. Oh and its not red. He likes red. This sweater is BLUE.

Guess what? He is going to wear it anyway. I happen to love it! Especially after I have a little consult with my LYS owner about the best way to bind off for the neck. (was a smidge too tight) Her suggestion was to add about 10 more stitches to the last neck row THEN bind off. Worked like a charm! The neck is perfectly stretchy!

Specs:

Pattern- Weekend sweater Elizabeth Zimmerman (used the EPS system and raglan shoulders)

Yarn- Plymouth Encore - 2 balls

Needles- Denise 7's

I actually wanted this a bit bigger (maybe get 2 winters out of it) but it fits great and really looks cute. Even with the forced smile....

I need to pick up some wool for his winter mittens next (red of course)

more stuff coming soon!

Saturday sky

Here is my Saturday Sky courtesy of Ernesto!

It has been raining since 10 am yesterday morning and looks to keep going till 12 am tonight.

I'm hoping to get the "Courtney tote" finished up and felted tomorrow! Then I will have 2 days for it to dry before it goes into the display window at my LYS. That's if DH & DS cooperate!

All the luck

Some people have, but not me. Sigh.

Yesterday at 15.30 hrs a trailer drove by, snagged my power line and RIPPED it out of my house. Poof, no power and there was a big BANG. Startled me, ya know?



Looks like the when your rip the string to open the bag of dog food. Same effect anyway.


I run the boy over to the neighbors house, just in case. Thank God we have an awesome neighbor!

So I call Peco (lucky for me I have their number memorized since we loose power so often). Then call the police. Then our home owners insurance . Then Peco again.


The driver would not come out of the cab, since the lines were laying across the top of the trailer. (or did I scare him waving my pen/paper/digital camera? I was a little P.O'd)

Well, the state troopers come, then Peco and the neighbors came out to say HI and give support. Lots of excitement for the boy!

Ultimately power was restored before 18.30 hrs (I was not looking at the clock for the exact time)
Not too bad, those Peco guys know what they are doing.

At least the weather was nice and had the windows open.

Now we have to figure out how much it will cost to fix the siding and who is going to pay. You can bet this is going to be A PROJECT.

News about the engine light for the car is not good either....... Basically there is a knock sensor in the engine that is causing the light to be on. The knock is from wear and the only way to fix it would be to rebuild the engine. Like THAT is going to happen. NOT. Geez, the car has 265k miles! So we can consider ourselves warned... it may go anytime. We just need a couple more months so keep your fingers crossed!

Back to our regularly scheduled knitting soon.... really! I have finished the sweater for Jake, another hand towel for Technicolor Sheep, even curtins!