Thursday, November 30, 2006

This has been the wettest and worst November I can remember. Tonight is "Ladies Night" at our Jewelry store(Carl V. Reck's in Charlotte-ok a shameless plug) and we serve champagne and homemade chocolates to ladies coming in to make out their wish lists. Last year it was standing room only out into the street, but this year we are expecting freezing rain and snow........... guess we will find out how bad women want free champagne and chocolates-and jewelry!! I am also heading for Chicago on my annual bus trip with a Kalamazoo friend on Saturday. I hope-the snow is supposed to be heavy here and that means tons more in Kazoo and Chicago(good old Lake Michigan loves to dump both places) so who knows???
The shrug for my daughter is almost done-the Nashua from the Yarn Garden is knitting up beautiful. I like it so much I may make Mel(daughter-in-law) one also,even though I have her shooping done.I also need to make a beaded purse for my neice Rachel but am waiting on a #3 12" circular needle to arrive.
Check out Erin Jerick's blog for cute Christmas gift ideas(the card with the tree,decorated with stitch markers is a great idea for your knitting friends)and Sarah Peasley's blog has some great ideas too. I have some of Susie's sock yarn and it is beautiful stuff-her colorways are to die for and you get a free beaded stitch marker with each skein--great gifts if you can bear to part with them. Also check out the picture of Kristi picking up the knitted gifts. She will be overwhelmed with the generosity of the knitting community!! Great job knitters!!!!

Monday, November 27, 2006

Hello knitters,
Hope all had a great Thanksgiving Weekend!! I had the family home (except for the South Carolina branch) and we ate turkey and pie with all the trimmings. So much for my 19 lb weight loss!!
On Saturday, I took the Dragon Shawl workshop by Sharon Winesauer at Rae's Yarn Boutique. Wow--it is quite a lace project and I heard that there is even a blog devoted to knitting the shawl which extends to many foreign countries. I need to work my practice graphs a few more times before I feel confident enough to even begin to try it. For those of you who haven't seen the picture go to Raesyarnboutique.com for a look see.
I have really enjoyed the Guild Meetings. November's was a chance for anyone with a business to set up a table and sell to the group. Nancy from Woven Arts was there and I purchased a skein (a very tiny skein) of Quivek. That is yarn spun from Musk Ox. Since Musk Oxen love the frigid weather(they like 40 below) it is very warm!!!!!!! It is also very expensive---shh, $60.00!! I have enough (215 yards or so) to make small handwarmers of a short lacy scarf.
I also got a few more cards from Erin-thanks to her home workshop I now have enough Christmas cards for the season. She also had a cute Christmas card with stitch markers as the decorations on a tree. Great idea for a present so I ordered two.
Lynn had handdyed yarn and handdyed socks, Rae had cute tiny wood sock blocker kits that make a darling keychain-also a great gift idea and others had yarn, roving and ideas so it was a great evening.
I finished the "tempting" sweater for my Granddaughter in purple DB Cashmireno Aran from the Yarn Garden and now am whipping up a ruffled shrug for my daughter from a Phonex Bess pattern. She has very trendy, young looking patterns. She has a website(phoenixbess.com) or see her patterns on Dreamweaversyarn.com.
I also have one necklace (tilletomas beaded yarn) done and one started which I have MagKnit clasps for and even have some of my shopping done. I expect the "real life" problems to surface anyday now with a resounding crash-throwing me into chaos since things have been going so smoothly.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Well, it's been awhile!! You see, in my world it is bow hunting season which means my son-in-law from S.C. , my oldest son and my 1st husband are all spreading testosterone around my usually clean and uncluttered(by manly things) home. I am grumpy!! I am sick of leaves, dirt, dishes, testosterone,farting,not being able to get to my washer and dryer(hunting clothes fill it with Scent sheild soap and dryer sheets that smell (literally) like dirt. I need to see some women!! I need to vent!
My hormones(if I have any left) are dreaming of an apartment of my own-no men allowed!!
Schools were closed yesterday, but I went in to answer phones. I finished a beaded yarn necklace(tille tomas) and one bootie for the Dutchicans. I had 2 phone calls in 6 hours and then the Superintendant called to say "shut her down and go home"-I did!!
I got a tille tomas drawstring purse in the mail and want to start it right away. It is for a neice for Xmas--but it is so cool.... It is from Cynthia's Fine Yarns and Gifts-check her website or call her-231-436-5882(cynthiasyarn.com)
I have to say the T.T. beaded yarn is somewhat challenging to knit with at first and why is it that all beads go to the back side??????
I joined the Socks that Rock sock club-go to their website and register-you get a new STR sock yarn like every month and it is a color that is not available for sale to the general public. Their yarn is so great-Rae carries it if you want to see some of the colorways and she has a huge order coming sometime(STR are very vague on delivery dates).
I have even started my shopping-Grandchildren almost done and they are the most important!! My Granddaughter wants a sewing machine!! I am so happy. She likes to kint too---My daugher not so much-it must skip a generation because my Mom hates to sew, knit etc. but my Grandmother was a Goddess of all things creative.