I'm Going To Knitters Connection

Oh joy - I have registered for Knitters Connection 2008 to be held in Columbus, Ohio in June. It will be a birthday gift, June 7th. Nice timing isn't it? Originally I was planning to go to Stitches East in November but decided I could go to Knitters Connection in June for the entire four days and then take the day bus trip with my guild in November to Stitches East. That will be held in Baltimore, Maryland, about a three hour drive for us Richmonder's. I'm looking forward to both.

I have finished the back of the sweater from Nashua's Theatre series pattern that I started on Saturday and have cast on for the front. Sweater class will be this Sunday and I'd like to have one side finished in case I have questions about the lapel. I love the feel of the thick and thin Cocoon yarn and the way it knits up. I think I will enjoy wearing this sweater since it will be boxy and hopefully not to warm for me. I 'v always been a hot natured person so of course that means I want clothing that are cooler than most people.

The Melly bag has been completed except for the lining for a couple of weeks now. It turned out beautiful, don't you think? Now I have to buckle down and get it lined and a snap on it. The Wooten bag is also completed except for the lining and ready to ship to another sister. I've almost completed the round of bags for my seven sisters. The fabric below the bag is what I will use to line it with. I decide to change the I-cord handles from the two colors knitted together to just one color. I think they look nice on the bag and I love having that outside pocket.

Yesterday I had the port, from where I was given chemo-therpy, removed from my chest. It was somewhat a nasty procedure because the tube going into the vein of my neck had become lodged in the vein. The little port itself was also stuck and had to be pried, pulled and snipped away. There was a small tear which bled unmercifully because of me taking a blood thinner, although it has been more than a week since I last took it. The port had been in place for over eighteen months so I'm delighted to have it out and am anxiously awaiting the wound to heal and to no longer need to grab and cover it for protection when Dariana or Maestro decides to give me hugs and kisses.

We've having a wonderful rain today that is pitter-pattering outside my window. I think I will go have a restful nap so I can stay awake tonight to work on my sweater.

My Favorite Yarn Store and A New Project on the Knitting Needles

Gosh, as if I didn't already have enough projects started I just had to have one more.

Actually, I am taking the Sweater Class from Lettuce Knit as a way to introduce someone from my Tuesday night knitting to MFYS. As you remember our LYS was recently sold and moved closer into the village; it has not been easy for the Tuesday night group to make the change, new owner, different ideas, different 'community of knitters' etc, etc. Our group never knows from one week until the next exactly what to expect and while each of us wants to support the shop and new owners, we don't feel comfortable. Most of the ladies in our group were taught to knit by the previous owner and felt a loyalty to her. They seldom went anyplace else to purchase yarn and knitting supplies; or to take a class offered by anyone else. I, on the other hand moved into the community having never been in this shop except once before our move. I was taught to knit by my sister many years ago and I had access to a number of yarn stores. I love visiting them all and do, but my true loyalty remains at Lettuce Knit where the ladies working there are really phenomenal. They are ever on the ready help you whether it is to select some beautiful yarn, work on a problem, teach you a new technique. or if there is time just chat with you. Most of the chatting in this shop is done while the staff is helping customers. Its a busy place and a wonderful place, that has a large group of loyal customers.

Anyway, as I was saying, I am taking their Sweater class with one of the ladies from my Tues. night knit group. I wanted to show the group what they are missing by not venturing out to the other shops within driving distance and seeing the yarns, patterns, and talent that can be had by shopping around. I must say, my friend was very impressed with Lettuce Knit.

To begin with, the sweater class started a week ago yesterday and here we were asking to begin a week later. Most shops wouldn't take the time to help two additional people choose a pattern (a choice of about ten patterns from the beginner to the experienced), choose yarn, and knit a swatch on a busy Saturday afternoon. It didn't phase these ladies although they were extremely busy all afternoon and, their 'new customer' didn't loose sight of this. In fact she was rather thunderstruck when a lady came in and saw some yarn she wanted but the shop was one skein short of what was needed. What did the proprietor do? She got on the phone and made a couple of calls. She was able to located the same color and same dye lot and arrange for it to be mailed from about a two hour drive away. Needless to say, she had a 'pleased customer', the lady buying the yarn, and an 'impressed' customer, my friend.

This wasn't the only thing that my friend didn't miss. She saw several customers come in and ask for help with something they were working on, she saw their patience taken with a new knitter struggling to learn her stitches, and another lady 'sitting to knit' just to have the relaxing atmosphere of the yarn shop. She saw them take out several rows of knitting for someone and get that person started back on the right road. These things never happened at our LYS. This is a small shop with barely room to walk down a center isle and between tables of yarn up and down the store, yet they are forever gracious to the customers who come in with 'extras' in toe and wonder around just to feel the luscious yarns and see the vivid colors. Never once was any frustration shown when a large skein of previously purchased yarn was brought in to be wound and had to be untangled numerous times during the winding. It was a typical day for my FYS but fascinating for my friend to witness.

Back to the project I chose. It is a simple sweater/coat pattern from Nashua's Theatre series. I'm knitting it in Rowan's Cocoon, color alpine. Its a gorgeous pearl grey and its ever so soft. Cocoon is a new line of yarn at Rowans and the content is 80% Merino and 20% Mohair. It is a scrumptious feeling yarn that knits up to about 3 sts per inch on size 11 needles. I love the boxy coat look of the jacket and my favorite sleeve length, three-quarters. When I was a teen-ager there were lots of three-quarter length sleeves, very popular, and I've always loved the length. They are long enough to be warm and short enough not to hang into whatever you doing. They are also attractive on people with big arms or very small arms, hiding the above elbow portion that is usually the unattractive part.
Shortly DH and I are off to shop for flooring. There is lots to think about in this arena. I hate carpeting but like wool rugs. DH loves wall-to-wall carpeting 'cause its warm on your feet. We both love real hardwood floors but it is the most expensive when installing after the house has been built; at our age I don't feel the cost of real hardwood flooring is justifiable. I can deal with the new imitation hardwood floorings, DH doesn't like them. Tiles, linoleum, and whatever else is out there is probably not a choice. Stay tuned to find out who wins this round on the flooring.

Oh, Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Today is cold and wet, a day for hot drinks, fires, soup, and knitting but so far I haven't done any of it. We were expecting a bit of snow, and that's what we got, a bit, before it turned to freezing rain, and now rain. DH is under the weather so I trotted out to the shed early this morning and drug snow shovels back to the house and into the garage, just in case. I also scattered a bit of de-icer on the steps, front walk, and back deck just in case. I know....the salt is not a good thing, but neither is a broken leg and a trip to the vet. Maestro is eleven years old now and has a history of being 'fast', we have to watch him on icy areas to keep him from hurting himself.

I worked on a project for the knitting guild this morning, a bus trip to Stitches East in the fall, and I worked on the newsletter for the Iris Society. The morning just kind of slipped away and before I knew it DH was ready for lunch and needed some roughage so we had a big salad rather than soup. I have a pot of chicken and herbs simmering right now, tonight will be chicken and dumplings...yum.

In place of blogging I have a dozen (probably more) other things I should be working on; finishing the Melly bag, not much left to do, the straps are now in place (I decided to do them in solid pink) and the pocket is basted just waiting for the final sew down, and then tossing it into the hot water bath. I also have another Wotton Bag ready except for felting and attaching the handle; both bags can have a bath at once. I've worked a few more rows on the Nicky Epstein's intarsia Jacobean Bag and am finding I enjoy the work but, is it ever slow with all the bobbins hanging from the back. And of course I'm dying to start something more, another vest or sweater I think.

BTW, I forgot to post this beautiful yarn that I received from Amanda a few days ago. It is a 2 ply hand spun Corriedale wool, one from Thelma and one from Stella in beautiful shades of grey, almost browns. Grey is the color for the January yarn exchange. Thank you Amanda, I'd like to send you a note but don't know where to send it. I don't have your e-mail address and am unable to make out the label on the package other than Amanda and Millisville NJ. If you'll let me know how to contact you I will do a proper 'thank-you'.

On Sunday I received a call from a contact in SC that my sister was in the emergency room. I am so thankful that everything is alright but it was a scare in the beginning. It turns out that along with the myeloma she also has atrial fibrillation. Fortunately I was able to get in contact with another sister that is closer in distance and she and her husband went to help out and then on Monday her daughter from Milwaukee flew in to be with her for a few days. I think this was a wake-up call to the rest of our family that this sister doesn't need to be living alone. Now we have to hope the house will sell really soon and she can get moved and be near her daughter. I will worry continuously until her AFib is under control and that sometimes takes a while.

MFYS is starting a sweater class and you work on a sweater of choice to fit your level of knitting. I have a gift certificate from DH for the shop and probably should use it to tackle something that I would normally put off because 'I don't have time to concentrate on anything difficult right now'. Actually I may go by and see what patterns they are making available. The classes are to be held on Sunday afternoons starting this Sunday and this would be the perfect time of year for spending Sunday afternoons knitting and working on a new Sweater.

The spicy chicken broth is calling me. I'll whip up some of my Bisquick dumplings and we will be sitting down for dinner by six o'clock. If DH feels like it maybe we can work in a game of Scrabble after dinner.

A Knitting Christmas Around The World

Gosh, do I ever have a boxful of goodies to show you today. My upstream partner in the Christmas Around the World Exchange has spoiled me this time for sure.

Karen had sent me an e-mail saying the package was going to be late that she was working on something. Christmas came and went, then another note saying she waiting on something to dry but that it would be delivered before the end of the Twelve Days Of Christmas and that she thought I'd be pleased and think it was worth the wait. Well, I AM PLEASED and it was Worth the Wait. Karen you have been so generous with your giving and that in it's self means as much as the items in the box. Thank you for both, you kind and generous heart and the wonderful goodies you chose for me. This is what I had to wait for, do you think it was worth the wait?

I certainly think so. The bag is gorgeous and big and the fabric is nice and heavyweight, knitted with double strands throughout. It has a beautiful lace design all around the top of the bag and the color is perfect too. Thank you Karen for all the time you took to make something for me that you knew I'd enjoy. I stuck some items on top of my 'stuff' (I'm already using the bag) to hold it open so you can see a bit of the lacy part. I'm sure it will get lots of wear. (That's Mr. Maestro peeping in the door.)

Before I got to the bag, which was laying flat on the very bottom of the bag, look at all the other things I pulled out. And just as dear as all the wonderful items, was a handwritten note attached to each one of them - so special. There was knitting stuff, food stuff, music and lots of other goodies. It was like having Christmas again. Thank you Karen,for making my day special.

I've been so busy this week that I haven't had time to blog. I missed my Monday and Tuesday night knitting and haven't accomplished much this week at all. I did sit down last night and added a few rows to the intarsia bag I'm knitting on and I did pick up the Lily Chin jacket I've been playing with for two years. I still don't have gauge on it and I've tried every size needled and different type needles from the 10 1/2 that it calls for, to a size 8. The needle size hasn't made much difference. I've steamed my test pieces and steamed using a wet cloth. I must be the only person in the world that can't knit this simple stockingknit pattern? Is it because of the stretchy yarn I wonder?

Anyway, I hope to get back in the swing with my blogging and knitting for the next few weeks. Spring will soon be here and we all know that means I will be spending a lot of time in the iris gardens.

Some Pictures For You - Knitted Vest & Knitted Melly Bag

This is such a neat pattern, just a rectangle of yarn, how simple can it get.

I'm not sure I like the straps I've made for the Melly Bag and may re-knit them in a solid color. The figure 8 in the diamond is the front pocket and the stitches are picked up after the body of the bag has been knitted, then knitted as a separate piece and sewn on before the fulling process. This is a pretty big bag that I think I will use a lots, therefore I will be adding a lining with inside pocket that can be also be closed.

Knitted Vest and Bag Completed Last Week

I'm back home and it feels good.
As I drove up the drive last night and into the garage I felt giddy just to be back home. Although I'd only been gone a week, the last few months have been so hectic driving up and down the interstate for one reason or another, home seems like a bit of heaven to me right now.

My sister seems to have a bit more strength now that she has gotten a shot to help build her red blood cells and medication to clear up the sinus infection. Now we pray she will be able to get the house sold soon and can make that move to be near her daughter. I'm also hoping she will be able to keep herself well enough and strong enough to continue living alone with her friends checking in on her daily and the family's phone calls. My older sister is still in the hospital but is able to sit up a bit now. The blood clot is still in her artery and there seems to be no change in what the doctors can do for her. It isn't a pleasant situation.


I got a good bit of knitting done last week while sitting in waiting rooms and after dinner each night. I finished knitting the Melly bag but still have to stitch the front pocket up and put the straps in place. I'm pleased with the way the knitting turned out, just hope the fulling will work out as well. I didn't add the pocket knitted to the inside because I plan to line the bag and will add a pocket or two to the lining. The outside pocket isn't quite as wide as I thought it would be once knitted, but I think it will stretch out just fine when I stitch it down. I also completed the finishing work on the vest I knitted a couple of weeks ago and wore it a couple of times last week when I drove my sister to her appointments. It is nice, warm, and light weight, just what I enjoy. I am a coat lover only in the sense of owing them because of their color, style, or material, I do not enjoy wearing coats unless it is absolutely freezing. I don't like the weight or the confinement of a coat. That is probably the reason I love shawls so much and yes, I also wore my entralac stole a couple of times last week.

Today has been a day for not doing much and just relaxing around the house. Dear Dariana came out for a while and we had a tea party with cheese, pepperonis, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on party bread. Just the right size sandwich for her tiny fingers. She has a little table cloth and apron that my sister made for her while she was here and that gets spread on grandma ma's coffee table before she sets out her teapot, cups and plates. She is so delightful to watch and listen to; so attentive to her tea guest. What a joy she is.

I still haven't gotten around to working on my Ravelry records, something that I really wanted to have done before now. There should be more time for those kinds of things now that the weather is colder. Right now. beside all the illness in our family, I have a sun room to re-decorate and plans to do something with the floors in the remainder of the house. When we bought this house it was carpeted and I'm not fan of carpeted floors in my home. Our plan is to have it pulled out and replaced with wood floors. Trying to get all this taken care of in the next couple of months may still leave me with little time for Ravelry or knitting.

I had DH make a couple of photos of the alpaca vest but they are far to dark to post so will have to make another try at it tomorrow. I do want to share but tonight I feel really sleepy and tired so plan to say good night and get ready for bed. Tomorrow is another day. I have several things on my agenda we can probably find time for a couple of photos.

Christmas, Kntting, and the New Year

Christmas has come and gone and tomorrow will be a new year.

Christmas was wonderful at our house, but also with some sadness. My sister, Glyness was with us and that was wonderful and our son, Christopher was home; that too being wonderful. We did lots of shopping, wrapping gifts, baking, and running around the week before Christmas. On Christmas Eve we loaded all our gifts along with some foods into the car and drove into the city to have Christmas at our daughter's home. What grandmama could wake up on Christmas morning and not see what Santa had left for their granddaughter. We go on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, staying until after breakfast on Christmas morning.

We had such a good time during our fondue dinner on Christmas Eve. Our family being together laughing, kidding around, and enjoying wonderful food and wine. After a long evening at the table, we went across the hall and into the living room for the Christmas tree and exchanging of gifts. Dari was so precious to watch. She was so excited over each and every gift and said a thank you to each of us as she opened our gifts to her. So precious! She slept between papa and I that night and we heard Santa's reindeer on the roof before she was able to settle down enough to sleep. This was the first time I'd heard Santa on the rooftop in a long, long time.

After Santa, the stockings, and a country ham breakfast on Christmas morning we headed back to the country for a rest and to prepare for dinner. Standing rib roast, buttered new potatoes, green bean bundles and fresh salad greens.

Papa got sick on Christmas morning, then my sister and Dari. Next day was my daughter, by Friday the virus had gotten around to me and by Saturday it had gotten to my son-in-law. My sister and I also have sinus infections and are on Z-paks to clear them up. While at the Dr. I ask that my sister's blood work be done and it came back with her red count very, very low. Because I live eight hours from her and her Oncologist, I felt I needed to get her home in case she needed a blood transfusion. We left early on Sat. morning to come back to SC. I will stay with her until she sees her Oncologist and I know she is going to be alright to be left alone again. I don't like the idea of her being alone but with the distance between us it makes it difficult to be here, or her with me, all the time. During all this, our oldest sister has been in the hospital in Atlanta with a blood clot in the artery to her heart. She is 87 and they can't do surgery because of other health problems. We are expecting every phone call to bring us bad news.

I am working on a few easy projects that I can lay down on a minutes notice without causing a problem if I can't get back to it right away. One is Sharon Dreifuss's Melly bag pattern. I'm knitting the body of the bag in a shade of pink that I adore, using cream for the trims, pockets, and handles. Have you seen the Knitters the Winter issue of Knitter's yet? I love the Chalk Stripe Scarf featured on page 43. I must knit that in 2008 and I want to do a pair of socks in 2008. I am planning to do socks and a few other projects and stitches that I've never done because they aren't my thing. I'm going to knit these items so I can say I have knitted them and to venture off the roads that I usually travel. New routes often takes us to new and interesting views.

All my exchanges are completed except for the Christmas Around the World Exchange. I am still waiting for a package from my upstream partner. I have to do some thinking about participating in exchanges in 2008. I love preparing and sending my partners their packages and learning about new people. I may want to continue or I may decide to take a break. Either way, this past year has been fun and I've met some wonderful people and received some wonderful surprises. There been a couple of disappointments but that is to be expected. Not understood, but expected.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a New Year. While I won't be staying up to see the new year in, I will cook collard greens, hog jowl (bacon) and black eyed peas for my sister and I tomorrow. We need all the good luck we can get. Happy New Year To You and Good Luck!

Bag-a-holics Exchange

I've received a package from Debb in California with the bag she made me for the Bag-a-holics Exchange. Debb's son was in a terrible motorcycle accident a few weeks back and is still in intensive care. I think it says a lot about Debb to get an exchange package in the mail during this horrible time for her and her family. We wish the best for Debb's son and hope he will recover and be healthy once more soon. Thank you Debb for you thoughtfulness and for the package you sent. Here's a couple of pictures of the bag Debb made for me and the other goodies she included

in the package.

I have some good news I'd like to share with everyone. I saw the Oncologist on Tuesday and he pronounced me to be in Full Remission from my Hodgkin's disease. What a wonderful Christmas present that is for me and for my family. I will continue to have a scan every four months for the next year and then if all is good, every six month thereafter for five years. There is still tissue where the largess mass (tumor) was but it appears to be just dead tissue and will probably never completely go away. As long as the Pet-scan doesn't light up indicating it has begun to grow again, I can live happily with the ugly thing being in my body. I feel wonderful, the best I've felt in about fifteen years. Could I ask for more? No, I'm thankful and happy with what I have and thank the Good Lord for giving me good health once more.

Last Saturday, dear little Dariana came out and we baked cookies. She was so helpful and the black walnut cookies are delicious, that is what was left after she ate her way through the dough. Isn't she beautiful? On Wednesday we went to see her perform in her Montessori school program. Unfortunately, she was one of the first to get in line and therefore was on the back row of her group so we wasn't able to see her or get photos of her. She is very petite for her age and many of the other children are a full head taller than she. She spent her time on stage jumping up trying to see over the other children's heads. The older children in her group (there were three groups this age) sang to us in Spanish and in German, what a delightful treat. We are very pleased with her school and the training she is receiving there.

Christmas cards are coming in daily, beautiful cards from family and old friends and from new friends too. Yesterday I received a card from from JoAnne, one of my first exchange partners, and one Marianne, all the way from England. Donna, my very first downstream partner has also sent me Holiday Wishes. Thank each of you for your kind thoughts; I truly treasure these things.

I've finished the vest I've been working on but still have not gotten it sewn under the arms. Time is just to precious right now to get it done. As soon as I do, which will most likely be after Christmas, I'll post pictures of it. I have it pinned together and love the way it looks. I had intended to take it to Knit Night on Tuesday and seam it there but walked out in a rush without it. It didn't make any difference because I never got around to knitting anyway. We exchanged names and had food and beverage, there was just too much fun taking place to get out the knitting. We did have a new member drop by and she brought the sweater she is working on and she actually knit while we played. It was a fun gathering, good friends, good food, good wine, and the exchanging of gifts. My gift is a years subscription to 'Knitting Style'. That's a good thing.

Today is appointments with the groomer, the hairdresser, and buying those last minutes gifts that have to be picked up in areas of the city that aren't on my regular trail. Most of the gifts are bought and some are wrapped. The standing rib roast is aging in the refrigerator for Christmas night and we're anxiously awaiting Christopher to get home and make the holidays merrier. I have to finish the gift wrapping tonight and tomorrow night because Dariana is going to visit us on Saturday and stay overnight. I love it when she stays overnight and I can sleep next to her and hold her precious body in my arms. I love to look at her while she is sleeping and be there when she opens her eyes the first thing in the morning. What a joy and what a pleasure she is. We're so thankful that she is ours.

Should I not find time to post again before the holiday, I wish everyone A Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years Ever.

Knitting On The Go

On the go, on the go, back and forth, to and fro, is creating havoc with me and trying to keep my blogging current and my life in order. Life must slow down.

I had a wonderful package from Julie, my SP-11 partner, well over a week ago and haven't publicly thanked her. Shame on me for she has been a terrific pal with her giving. More importantly, she has been a wonderful pal in communicating with me and sharing her family life with me all through the swap. Thank you Julie for it all, you are the best. The package I received from Julie was so kind and thoughtful, she addressed the things she knows that are dear to me, my granddaughter, my lasha apso, and knitting. She sent me beautiful yarn, locally dyed and spun in Main and in colors she knows I love, browns, creams, and blue, and she sent a gift for Maestro, what a treat for him, and one for Dari. Dari should be out later today and I will give her gift to her. The wool is beautiful and enough to make 'A Bag' . Thank you and please accept my appologies for being tardy. (I did acknowledge and thank Julie personally for her kindness when I received her gift.)

The vest I've been knittig is still 'almost finished'. I got up early on Thursday morning and drove down to get my sister and bring her to spend the Christmas and New Year Holidays with us, so there hasn't been any knitting for a couple of days. We drove back up yesterday. Two days on the road and here I am at 2 AM blogging. I couldn't sleep, still a bit tired, and too much on my mind. I still have shopping for gifts to do and baking to get done (Dari is coming today to bake cookies) and I don't have a tree up or a wreath on the door yet. I do have cards in the mail with a note in the family cards and I have my knitting groups gifts ready for delivery on Monday and Tuesday nights. I picked up several things on our last trip at the yarn shop in Crossville, TN. that I mentioned a few blogs ago. The shop was jam packed full of neat things, lots and lots of stocking stuffers that relate to knitting and lots of small gifts that any knitter would love. I bought a bag full of 'stuff' and I can't wait to give it away.

For all my cat-loving friends; my sister and I brought her big, fat, cat along to spend Christmas with us. It was his first real car trip and he wasn't a happy passenger. Poor baby cried for about an hour, especially if there was a big truck (there are plenty on I-85) or a bumpy, uneven road. We finally took him out of his carrier and let him find his own spot in the car. That seamed to help hom a lots but he refused to get out of the car or use the litter box all day. We were so happy to get him home so he could potty and relax. I went in to kiss him and my sister good-night and he was curled up on his fleece in the middle of the bed just as close beside my sister as he could get. This is a big cat, a beautiful rich yellow and the most clear green eyes you could imagine; I call him Mr. Reggie. Reggie is too blah for him in my opinion, I've always thought he was much to regal looking to be addressed so casually. Mr. Reggie walks on his royal purple leash just as well as his canine friends and he never drinks water from a bowl. Instead, he politely comes and asks to have the bathtub faucet turned on where he proceeds to stick his paw under the drip and drink from his paw. Mr. Reggie expects a treat every night just before bedtime, a tiny dish of buttermilk. Now, tell me he doesn't deserve to be addressed with a Mr.

I'm chilly and will now crawl back in bed and see if I can snooz for a few hours. Lots to do tomorrow and all next week. Christmas is a coming.

Entralac Stole Now Blocked

My entralac stole was finally completed and blocked before we left for the our last trip. I've worn it several times already and love it. Once completed and wet-blocked, it became soft and lost the scratchy texture that I found discouraging while I was knitting it. Although it was time consuming, I would knit another one, or some other project in entralac. In fact, my Tuesday night knit group wants me to teach them the 'how-to' in a knit-along for our group once the Jacobean bag is finished after Christmas. I'll be happy to share what I learned with the group and know they will enjoy knitting this project as much as I did. We have a couple of ladies in the group that loves and wears shawls almost as much as I do.

I have only a couple of rows left to knit before I bind off the Sara Punderson Alpaca Vest pattern project I've been knitting on. I should finish up tonight unless I find out I'm to go to SC again tomorrow and bring my sister back for Christmas with us. The trip is dreaded but having her here makes it worth the drive. I love her so dearly.

I have finished knitting another simple bag and it is ready for giving once it is felted, lined and a handle added. There are still several other projects 'setting'. waiting to be worked up. I can't wait for the holidays to be over so I can once again take to my recliner and knit the days away until spring approaches and the garden begins to call me.

Let Me Tell You About A Yarn Shop Visit

Well, we're back home from visiting my sister and niece in Mississippi and Mr. Ro's brother in Tennessee. We had a really enjoyable visit with everyone. It was nice to visit my niece and her family in their big old home with a 12 foot live Christmas tree in the library and a smaller one in the living room, wreaths tied in red ribbon from all the upstairs and downstairs windows and a huge wreath on the front door and gate of the white picket fence. She still has lots of decorating to do, the stairs, front hall, and dining room, but the feeling of Christmas is already there. Actually she didn't have the trees decorated yet, but she did have the lights on them and the tall step ladder standing beside the tree waiting for the ornaments to be placed on it.

Her mother, my sister, moved there a few years back. She has a historical home too, but much, much smaller than her daughter's. To me, it reminded me of a beautiful little doll house. She had everything perfect and cleaned to shining. She too begin to decorate while we were there. Holy Springs is a small town but we always find interesting things to do when we visit. We went to church on Sat. afternoon to hear a sonata performed by a group from the University of Mississippi. On Sat. night we went to the Christmas parade, only having to walk two blocks to stand and watch it pass by. Mr. Ro went with his favorite boys and their dad Paint Ball Shooting on Sat. morning. Needless to say, it has taken its toll on this 62 year old man, out crawling on his belly with 13 and 16 year old boys - but he had a great time being with them and playing like a boy again. I brought him back home with a stiff back and will not expect anything out of him for several days while he recovers. LOL!

While there I was taken to a terrific old farm where gorgeous candles are made. I bought several, mostly the ones shaped like and with the fragrance of magnolia blossoms. They will make wonderful gifts for a few lucky people. We also went to Oxford to the yarn shop, about a thirty minute drive from Holly Springs, only to get there and find a 'Shop Closed' sign on the door. I was disappointed however on the way back to visit Mr. Ro's brother we searched out and stopped at the LYS in Crossville and I was in heaven for about an hour. I bought lots of stocking stuffers and some tools, a pattern and yarn for little Priss a sweater and yarn to make myself the Plymouth vest. In fact, I have it about half finished having knit on the way home yesterday. This photo is dark but will do until I have more light. The yarn I'm using is Andean Alpaca Regal put out by Reynolds and it feels like pure luxury. My biggest concern is I'm a warm natured person and I'm afraid it may be to warm for me to enjoy wearing. Since chemo I have had a body temperature change and seem to get cold easier than I use to to the point that I've bought several vest this winter that I can get into and out of easily and I seem to be wearing them more often than not. I have lots more to post, just have to find time.

T

I'm Blocking Entrelac Stole Today

Well, I'm still at home; just couldn't get it together last night to hit the road this morning so we will leave tomorrow instead. It's so nice to be able to be flexible and to be able to change plans on the spur of a moment now that we're retired. So, instead of traveling, I'm blocking my entrelac stole that I finished knitting in the wee hours of Monday night-Tuesday morning. I was determined to finish it up since it had been on the near completion list for a few weeks. This morning after having coffee and chocolate dipped cookies, I decided that I would have time to add the fringe and set it to block this morning; then I'd be able to take it on our trip to wrap up in on the car ride. Here's a photo of it laying outside on the hot-tub drying in the breeze.
It's not a good photo because I had to face the sun when I was taking it, but it gives you an idea of how large it is and I'll make a better photo once it is dry and steamed down if needed. I used all but a few yards of Nora's Silk Garden Lite to knit the shawl and the 9th ball for fringe. DH ask if I'd charge $500 to knit one for someone else and my reply was 'about that since it has almost $100 of yarn in it and it has taken me almost six months to knit' LOL. Actually the actual knitting went rather quick, I'm just always working on a half-dozen projects at a time.

And here's a new picture of the pink and green knitted bowl after I place potpourri in it.

Felted Bowl, Bag, and Hats

I've been busy today getting my packages ready for the post. I have one for my Bag-A-Holic partner and one for my Christmas Around The World partner and the last one for my Secret-Pal-1 pal. Each has been lots of fun putting together and I think my pals will be pleased with them.

I've also been busy making photos of some of the gifts I've been making for family and friends. There are hats, bags, and bowls. I failed to get a photo of a purple hat, it went into one of the boxes that is ready to send out but I do have one of a Christmas Red (Patons marino) felted hat that I knitted for a sister and another one in a different shade of red (Cascade 220). The purple was made from Lopi (Reynolds) and is such a fabulous shade of purple, I loved it. The bowl is made from scrap yarn and I think both pieces are Patons marino, I love Patons for felting and caught it on sale in late summer so bought up a bit of it. It doesn't let me down; that I like after having spent my time knitting a project. The bag I made in the Bag Style Knit-a-long I participated in is also made from Patons, taking almost the entire two skeins of yarn. That's another thing I love about that yarn, for most felted bags and felted hats, two skeins is about the right amount. I like to have only a tiny bit left over after a project is finished; if I have almost a full skein left over I'm aggravated.

Tonight is knit night in the city with friends. We didn't meet last week because of guest visiting for Thanksgiving and everyone busy with preparations for Thursday. Tonight will be catch up night on our lady's new love lives. It's wonderful to see them in love again in their golden years.

Tomorrow night will be knit night in the village. Last week we met at someone's home because the shop's proprietor didn't have time to keep the shop open (?). We had a really nice time away from the shop and I'm expecting that the first of the year we will decide to meet at a different person's home each week rather than this constant haggling with the new owner. It's a good group of ladies and we don't want to give up our knit group, still we don't want to have stipulations put on when we can or can't meet. I understand the new proprietor has a group that meets during the week-day and that’s fine, but some people do have to work. This is a working group except for the two of us that have now retired. She also wants to put is in a situation where we feel obligated to use this knitting time just for charity. Most of us already knit for charity with other groups and feel we want this time for our personal time. Anyway, the idea is on the burner until after Christmas. Everyone has too many other things to think about and keep us busy until then.

Pal's Knitting Going To Post Tomorrow

Thanksgiving has come and gone so now the fuss is all about Christmas. One month from today, the 24th is really the day we have our family togetherness, our Christmas dinner, and then the exchanging of gifts around the Christmas tree. It will have come and gone before I conscious of it happening. It is true, time does move fast as you grow older. Weeks slip by as if it was only a day or two and the month seems to have gone by before I realizing it.

Thanksgiving Day in central Virginia was 'hot', not warm, but plain hot and humid. We turned the ceiling fans on in both the kitchen and the great room well before noon; still it was too warm. I think the temperature climbed to about 76 degrees, much to warm for the end of November. In mid-afternoon we had a bit of rain which allowed the temperature to begin cooling off and today its downright cold.

Our Thanksgiving was wonderful. It was wonderful having the family all together once more and a wonderful abundance of good food on the table and good friends stopping in to say hello. I am so thankful for it all. Last year I was having a rough time with chemo-treatments, this year I feel great. Such a big change in health and I am thankful for it and being able to be with my beloved family through another year.

Last night little Dariana spent the night with papa and I. It was such a good time for us all. We played pretend, her favorite game, to entertain her until bedtime. We had an imaginary birthday party with peanut butter and jelly cake and candles, and imaginary school with a story being read from one of my knitting magazines about peacocks (from an advertisements she saw inside), and we played house with 'my baby' falling and hitting her head on the hearth and mommy taking her to the Dr. to get medicine. We can see that each of these pretends are so real to little Dariana. She is so much fun and we adore her.

I do have the hats and bag I mentioned on last post, felted and ready to send out tomorrow but I've put off making photos yet; I will have to post them later. I'm pleased with the way they each turned out and hope my pals will be pleased once they are received. I have one more project to knit for a pal (plan to work on it later tonight) and I will be finished up with my current swaps. I want to knit two quick bags to have for hostess gifts while we are visiting family next week, one for a niece and one for a sister-in-law. The Nicky Epstein bag is in its first stages. I've decided I will only work on it during my Tuesday night group knitting, at least until after the first of the year when things settle down a bit.

Knitting, Iris and Hoakies Football

The bag pinned together and then sewn before fulling.

The hats before fulling, two different reds, Paton's on the left and Cascade on the right.

Today I finished the triangle bag I've been working on, sewed it together and felted it. It turned out very pretty I think and although it is quiet a bit smaller than it was before being fulled, it is still a nice, roomy bag. I think I will enjoy it and am thinking of doing one for a sister-in-law in black and cream or black and gray, either would be pretty I think. This was an easy knit if you don't mind decreases and increases on almost every row all the way through the bag. You do have to keep up with the grouping of rows so that your pieces can be matcher perfectly once you start putting it together and it does take awhile to knit because it is knit with size 6 needles. I used Paton's yarn and put it though two short cycles to get it to the felted point that I wanted. Usually I get by with one cycle but today I added two hats and a long I-cord for one of the hats, perhaps that is why it needed the additional time. They all came out nicely and are on the kitchen counter drying right now.

Mr. Maestro and his friend, Sissy, the poodle from next door, went to the groomer together this morning to get all pretty and fresh for Thanksgiving. Maestro was a tiny bit un-tidy after spending Wednesday with the veterinarian getting his teeth cleaned and three of them extracted. It had only been a year in August since we had his teeth cleaned but in that period he had gotten gum disease and had three impacted teeth. I cried of course, but am glad we got it taken care of before there was a real problem. Maestro is 11 years old now, not a young age for canine.

While I was car-pooling and picking up the last items from the grocery for our Thanksgiving dinner, Mr. Rō was potting iris to be given as door prizes at our Harvest Dinner for the Iris Society tomorrow. They are waiting for me to put a foil-wrap around them so they will look festive and catch any soil that might escape the pots. I've already prepared my dish to go, a curried rice salad with artichokes, shrimp, water chestnuts, almonds and black olives. I snuck a few bites before I put it away and it taste yummy. Tomorrow is also the local knitting guild meeting so I'll get up moving in the morning to be there at 9 o'clock and then at the Iris Society by 1 o'clock. We will leave that event early so that Mr. Rō can get home in time to see part of the VA Tech football game. All Hoakies out there knows how important that is; NOTHING comes before a Hoakie Game.

I can now concentrate on the Jacobean bag and finish up the shawl. I do need to get two additional bags made before the first week in December when we go to visit family. I want everything finished up by the end of the year because come Jan 1, I hope to knit sweaters. They have been on hold and its time I got them knitted. Too, I haven't accomplished much toward the trip I wanted us to take to Great Britain late next spring. I'm beginning to think it may be put on hold for awhile, there doesn't seem to be time to work it in. A decision will have to be made soon or I won't be able to make the arrangements for us to stay the length of time I'd like to.

I have my last SP-11 package ready to go in the mail, the needles I'd ordered from Paradise Fibers finally came yesterday after I contacted them to see what the problem was. I also have the bag for my pal of the Bag-A-Holic Swap ready to go. I want to get both of these packages in the mail Monday if possible. That will leave only the Christmas Around The World Exchange for me to complete this year. Next year I must do fewer exchanges and knit-along and work more on sweaters, sweaters, sweaters. Will I be able to? I hope so, but gosh I do love a good exchange.

Busy Knitting and Thinking About the Holidays

I've been really busy knitting away this last week. I have too many projects going at one time again and I'm anxious to finish off a couple of them this week. I only have a few decreasing rows left to the triangle bag and then putting it together and fulling it. I'm not sure about lining, that will depend on the density of the bag once it is felted and if the lining can be attached without a lot of work to keep it from showing once the bag has been folded into the orgamic triangle. The entralac shawl is still not finished but is so close to being that I need to find a half-day to devote to that alone and complete it; and now the Jacobean bag is on my needles. It is already growing on my and I expect I'm going to find it fun to knit once I get the hang of all that yarn hanging. For me the fun of everyone doing the same project at once is watching each other and how each person accomplishes a particular stitch or task differently, coming out with the same end results. There are seven of us knitting the bag, a couple chose not to knit along on this project, and there last night there was lots of helping and teasing going on around the table. Good knitting friends are the best.

The iris buds that Mr. Rō brought in from his garden last week has bloomed and I failed to get pictures to post. The green tomatoes on the window sills are ripening and I am expecting to still have ripe tomatoes for the Thanksgiving Holidays when DS will be home for a few days. We'll have lots of salads while he is here because he is watching his weight again. Like his mother he doesn't mind salad meals, we both love our veggies. We've always had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the afternoon, but a few years ago we begin deep-frying the turkey in place of baking it. The turkey comes out so moist and good with the crispy skin having sealed in the juices when it was dropped into the pot of hot grease. It makes a pretty and golden brown bird for the table.

I've been thinking about Christmas and what I can give to some of my knitting friends. I've decided on a project, something that I think they will all enjoy but in case one of them is reading this, I won't say what it is. I can tell you this much, I found the perfect piece of material to use for linings, a black background with a white kitty-cat playing in a ball of twine. As soon as I finish the shawl and the triangle bag I plan to cut the linings and start sewing.

Now I'm Knitting a Nicky Epstein Bag

Monday night I drove into the village for knit night at the LYS. It is only the second time I've been since the ownership changed. It took a few weeks for the new proprietors to work things out and I thought the group was going to fold; I think they thought so too and decided it would be worth their effort to accommodate the group and, in a welcoming environment. Anyway, the group was ready to start a new project with everyone making the Nicky Epstein, Jacobean Floral Felted Bag. I wasn't sure I was going to do it but then decided I should show my support for the shop and to the proprietors. I realize how fortunate we are to have a LYS here in our little rural village and I do want it to survive and prosper.

I'm not sure I like the bag (plus it means I'll have to break down and read a chart) and it was a bit costly considering that it was bagged into project-like quantities with just the amount of yarn needed to knit the bag. I'm again trying to think of it as helping the shop survive and I can always give the bag as a gift or use it in one of the bag swaps I participate in.

I'm almost finished knitting the first triangle of the Two-Tone Triangle Bag for the Bag Styles' Knit-Along. It is knitting up nicely even with all the right and left increases. I have a couple of embellishment ideas that I may try to incorporate in it when I'm ready to put the bag together.

It is wintertime here, 23 degrees this morning. This means we won't have any re-blooming iris in our garden this fall. Mr. Rō's heart is broken. He has been covering them for about a week now trying to protect the ones with buds from the nighttime elements. Yesterday he decided it would be a losing battle and so cut and brought in one that has three buds and already showing color. This particular iris is named Iceland and is a gorgeous white, big blossoms, fragrant, and performs beautifully in our garden. It amazes most people to learn there are some tall bearded iris that bloom a second time each year, in the fall. A few years back we had our Harvest Dinner for the Iris Society on the 3rd Sat. In November. We had enough bloom in our previous garden that I was able to cut and arranged a basket full of iris for the table. We now live about 20 miles northwest of our previous home but thats enought for the planting zone to change.

While Mr. Rō was in the iris garden, I was picking tomatoes. There are only two large plants remaining and bearing fruit ; they are loaded with so many green tomatoes the vines are weighted down. I picked what was left of the ripened ones and most of the largest green ones. They will ripen on the window sill and we should still have fresh tomatoes from the garden for Thanksgiving dinner.

Knitting Two-Toned Triangle Bag

I've chosen the yarn I want to use for knitting the Two-Toned Triangle bag in the new book, bag STYLE. There are a lot of pretty bags in this book but the Triangle Bag caught my attention right away. I love the difference of the shape; the fabric being folded into an origami form after being knitted and felted. The bag is knitted on size 6 needles with one strain of yarn so I'm hoping the fabric will be as thick and dense as I like for my bags. I know there has already been a few people knitting this bag over on the Bag Style Knit-along and they seem to be happy with the results.

I've finished knitting the red hat and also one in a different shade of red. Both hats are for gifts and I still have to full, shape, and dry them. I'm glad to have the knitting finished so I can move on to another project because I have lots of knitting to get done before the end of this year.

Mr. Rō has been busy these last few days weeding his iris beds and planting seeds that were produced from cross-pollinating between two different iris when they bloomed in the spring. He likes to plant his seeds for iris around All Hallows Eve which is October 30th. We aren't pagan and we're not into witchcraft; this time for planting is related to the phase of the moon and 'all that kind of stuff'. Anyway, it seems to work well for him and its just a little bit of fun to mention when he is telling 'iris tales'. The seed will not germinate until spring and then it will take two to three years before they are mature enough to produce blooms. If there happens to be one beautiful flower out of the seeds planted he will be lucky. Still there will be lots of work to do and records to keep for another three or four years before he will know if the iris is worthy of introduction. Its lots of work and lots of fun for him, just as knitting is for me.

I'll leave you today with a couple of pictures from Saturdays party. Precious Dariana and her five best friends from nursery school along with family members, had a terrific time at the Children's Museum helping Dariana celebrate becoming 3 years old!

Knitting Missing At Christmas Craft Show

Yesterday my neighbor and I decided we'd loaf a bit and take in the Christmas Craft Show, have a nice lunch and do a little shopping. This particular show comes to Richmond every year and it is large, taking up an entire building. I've never been to this one and I must say it doesn't compare with the Bazaar Bazaar which is even larger and hosted at the buildings at the old State Fair grounds, now the Richmond Raceways. The larger portion of this show was jewelry, some very pretty and a lot of repeats in items being displayed. The thing that struck me is there wasn't one single booth of knitting, not one. As 'hot' as the knitting world is today I was surprised. Of course the smallest booth rents for $400.00 for the event, I suppose that could have something to do with it. It would take lots of yarn and time to knit $400.00 before you could begin making a profit at all.


Later in the afternoon we stopped by 'Lettuce Knit' near my old home and were discussing why there wasn't any knitting booths. One of the ladies remarked that she thought it was because this particular craft show doesn't draw the kind of people that are willing to pay for hand knitted items. I agree to some extent, but I go a bit farther in thinking that most people aren't willing to pay for hand knitting, period. Why? well I believe that most people never go into a true yarn shop and see all the beautiful fibers and colors that are available today. I believe most people's knowledge of knitting and crochet is from the yarn they see in the local craft stores usually selling in an under $5.00 price range and of seeing their grandmother knit or crochet using that acrylic yarn. While acrylic yarn has its place, it is the natural fibers that I think of when speaking of handmade versus homemade. Handmade to me means something that you put your heart and soul into to make it special and beautiful as well as made well. Most people never think this far and only see $5.00 for a skein of yarn and not anything for the labor. Labor? Yes, to me knitting is a labor of love, but if I'm going to sell it, then it has to be a labor of my time spent making you something by hand and that ain't cheap.


For lunch we stopped by Kuba-Kuba for sandwiches and plantains. Yum. Sally had never been here before. It wasn't just the food I wanted her to experience, I wanted her to enjoy the atmosphere. Kuba-Kuba is in an old section of the city; its very, very tiny located in the ground-floor basement of a nice, big old home. It is tiny in size and larger than life in everything else. Noise, wobbly tables, extremely uncomfortable chairs, an uneven floor, and a co-ed rest room that can be a real surprise. Still, the restaurant is always packed, any day and any time of day or evening with people waiting for one of the 'under a dozen' tables for two, or one of the 'two' booths for parties of four or more, or one of the half-dozen bar stools. The food is cooked right there in the dining area, and the shelves are stocked with Cuban coffee, pasta, olive oil, and religious candles. There are Barbie doll legs only, hanging from the lights and a picture of The Last Supper on the wall behind the bar. This isn't to make light of The Last Supper, its just the opposite; religion is very dear to most of the Cuban community. The clientele is a big mix, students from VCU (an arts related university) with purple and green hair, rings in their nose, belly button or wherever else they can pierce; neighborhood families with babies in tow and dogs waiting for them at the door; as well as people dressed in business clothing, suits and high-healed shoes. Watching and listening to such a mixture is more entertaining than the chefs dancing as they cook.


I drove Sally down Monument Avenue where 'Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson' face off, and through much of the Fan District. The leaves were colorful and the autumn sun was shining bright casting longer shadows on everything; it was beautiful. A lovely day.


Today we will celebrate Dariana's third birthday along with her friends from school and a few family members. I'm sure I'll have pictures for you tomorrow. I've already given her a new dress for the party and papa has a package wrapped and ready to go. I'm looking forward to seeing how she interacts with her peers. Papa has been to some of her school functions but I've not been able to attend any so far. I'm anxious to see her in a social environment with other children her age. She can now say the 'Pledge of Allegiance', can you believe that, three years old!

Knitted Red Hat

Last night I was able to finish knitting the red hat and now it is waiting to be fulled. I knitted a black I-cord to go around it and will buy a feather to stick in the cord. Sister should look snazzy wearing this one on Sunday mornings. I will take it to her when we go to visit later this month or early in December. I'll post photos after it is fulled.

When I was casting on for the hat I got out my new Knit-Pick Harmony wooden needles to use. I attached one needle and then the other, thinking it didn't feel quiet right. As I started to cast on I felt an un-even lump and stopped to check it, I had a bad needle. I was so disappointed because I've loved using these needles since I've had them. I called Knit-Pick right away and their service department personnel were so nice. The size 11 needle won't be in until Nov. 7th but they will send a replacement as soon as their needles arrive. While I was talking to them I ordered a size 13 circular needle to go with my set. It seems I use a size 13 often enough to justify buying one.

Today I placed an order with Paradise Fiber for a set of Audi Turbo DP needles in size 1. These are for my secret pal who loves to knit socks and had mentioned she would like to have a set of the Audi needles. I'm hoping they will be here next week and that I will have finished the treat I'm knitted for her so they can be sent off winding up this exchange. This has been a lot of fun and my upstream partner has been the greatest. What wonderful gifts she has spoiled me with. The word 'spoil' really fits here. That's exactly how I feel, wonderful gifts just because someone wants to make you feel special; like a child on one's birthday.