Top Ten Things I Didn't Hear This Weekend...

10. Are you knitting again?

9. Are you going to knit all day?

8. Have you even gotten up from that spot since I left?

7. There she goes . . . knitting again.

6. Here's the mail - more yarn.

5. Don't you think you have enough yarn?

4. Don't you ever get tired of doing that?

3. You and your friends look so dorky knitting together.

2. How much do you actually spend on yarn? (not that much, honey)

1. When are you going to make me a scarf/shawl/sweater/socks?



That's right, I didn't hear any of those things this weekend, because I was at The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling. I was among my people. It was so much fun, the comraderie, the friendship, the yarn, the knitting, the food, and the shopping. The friends were awesome - Stacy, Kaye, Allen, Keri, Lynda, Margaret, Lauren, Janice - just to name a few. I collected so many moo cards. I think I was the only one there without them.



I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should have. Here are just a few:





This is a shawl that I started. It is Shawl That Jazz by Samantha Roshak. Sam was at the fling with the most beautiful, colorful shawl, and I had to make one. So I bought some Fiesta Boomerang in Surf colorway and started one immediately. Allen from Numma Numma also had one on the needles; she completed hers at the fling. It was unbelievable.

I took a class with the fabulous Cookie A on designing your own socks. We looked through stitch pattern books, picked one out, and started knitting. The best thing I got from the class was how to incorporate your cuff ribbing into the pattern. Isn't it great the way it just flows into the pattern?

Cookie and Wendy also autographed their books for us.

We got a great goodie bag when we first arrived on Thursday. It included this very unique Knitube by Namaste. Inside was a Loopy Ewe mug, pin and tattoo, some yarn of course (Schaefer Yarn, Nichole), and 3 patterns! I understand that there was more than one color yarn given out. I'm so glad I got the color I did...I love it. The patterns are Nebula Sock Pattern by Cookie A, Highland Fling Socks by Wendy D. Johnson, and Nicholetta by Laura Nelkin. I don't know which one I'll make with the yarn; they're all so great.

The highlight of the trip for me was, of course, the shopping. I got to go to The Loopy Ewe first thing Friday morning. I was so excited. One lady actually cried when she walked in. Honestly, I could have, but I held it in. It was overwhelming to be amidst that much yarn and fiber in one place. There was twice as much as last year since Sheri had expanded. I think I roamed around aimlessly picking up, smelling, and fondling yarns for the first hour. Then I started throwing things in my bag. I was out of control.

This is me and little Loopy. He came home with me.

Look at those bags . . .



The infamous Wall of Cascade . . .

Sheri and Web Guy(her son) checking everybody out . . .

And the large red shopping bag full of goodies. You'll have to stay tuned to see what I actually bought. This post has gotten way too long.

Flingin'

I'm off to The Loopy Ewe Spring Fling this morning! Can't wait!

Wollmeise Kurbis

Some pretty Wollmeise to look at...

Isn't She Lovely?

In just a little more than 48 hours, Isbel went from this...







to this...

to this...

and finally this...

A little hard to see on my improv blocking table (dining room table with a beach towel on top), but it is beautiful, if I do say so myself. I'll have to get some pictures of someone actually wearing and modeling it.

I loved this pattern, and will definitely do it again. I did the small size as written. I started it Friday afternoon and finished it Sunday night. I'm usually not a monogamous knitter, but I didn't knit on anything else once I started it.

Another FO: socks in GypsyKnits. These are going to my sister-in-law, the one with the tiny feet, and they'll probably still be a little big on her.

Gotta go. Leaving for the Spring Fling in 2 days. Have a million things to do.

Stick a Fork in 'em...

...they're done. The clapotis and the scarf are finished!! I'm so excited.





First, the clapotis -


Yarn: Malabrigo - silky merino - Stonechat colorway
Pattern: Clapotis by Knitty
Needle: US 7
Started: 2/18/09
Finished: 4/15/09
Size: 20" x 64"

I think I will keep this for myself.








Above photo shows it unblocked; below blocked.





I usually hate these types of shots when I see them on other blogs, but no one else was here to model or take pictures for me.

Next is the tubular scarf:

Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns - Waterlilly - maroon and gray colorways

Needle: US 10

Pattern from http://www.jarlady.blogspot.com/

Size: 7" x 63" unfringed

Started: 4/2/09

Finished: 4/16/09

This will be gifted to a friend for her birthday.

This is already on its way to becoming Ishbel. It is Spritely Goods - Manzanita in Bloom colorway. I started it yesterday and can't put it down. I hope it doesn't turn out too small. I didn't have a long enough size 6 needle, so I'm using a 5. We'll see.

Here are a couple of pics of OS. We went to visit him at his college yesterday and spent the night. He plays football, and today was his last day of spring practice, so they had a scrimmage. He's so awesome. That's him, #7. Isn't he cute?

Random Wednesday

This came in the mail last week. It's Opulent from Skein Queen, 100% Mongolian cashmere in sportweight. It is sooo soft, and pretty, too pretty for socks, I think. It may become Ishbel, which is next on the scarf list.

The maroon and gray striped scarf is blocking as we speak. It needs fringing and will then be gifted to a friend. Photos to follow.

I am on the decrease rounds of the clapotis, which goes much faster than the increase and the straight rounds. Go figure.

This came in the mail from amazon.com. The HWWTM won't let me knit in the car at night. He says the light bothers him, yea right. He just doesn't want me to knit. So I found this handy dandy little gadget. Haven't had a chance to try it out yet. We'll see how well it works.

And guess what just showed up at the front door...Socks From The Toe Up by Wendy D. Johnson. Gotta go.

It's a Yarntini Day!

Thought I'd share some stash with you...Yarntini stash, that is. I usually store my yarn in my closet in a bin, but my Yarntini has outgrown its bin and needed a new home. So, while I was rearranging some things, I decided to see exactly how much Yarntini I have - which is a lot - 41 skeins to be exact. This large bag is its new home.

TD had to arrange them according to color. She's a 3rd grade schoolteacher, y'know.

I think I have a couple of duplicates, but I don't care.

This is the newest acquisition - Honeytini. It's the March Happy Hour Club color. It's pretty yummy. I was hoping for another variegated color since that's what the first 2 were, and since I joined the summer semisolid club, but it's ok. It's nice to get a color I might not have chosen myself.

I finished a sock over the weekend...probably going to cast on the second this evening.

TD was in for the Easter weekend. She always "goes shopping in mom's closet" when she's here. She made off with 5 skeins this time, 2 of them Yarntini.

Hope everyone had a peaceful, family-filled Easter weekend.

Oh, I almost forgot. I caught a Wollmeise update this morning. I got an Ebenholz (a pretty brown) and 3 skeins of Schwarz (black). Then, while on Ravelry, I bought 2 skeins of Rhabarber from someone who had them up for sale. I have been coveting that colorway and am so excited to finally get it. It was a good Monday. Hope everyone has a great week.

They're All Here...

The kids are all home for the Easter weekend. That's MS (middle son) standing up and OS (oldest son) sitting to his right, then OS's girlfriend (OSGF) sitting across from him, and TD with the dark hair. I'll have to come up with a better name for OSGF - she's too cute to have such a ridiculous blog nickname. Also, they've all discovered my blog and think I'm more embarrassing than ever.

A shot from another angle:

We had a huge crawfish boil for the hubby's office people yesterday. We do this for them every Good Friday. They are a great bunch of people who help make my lifestyle possible, so I am eternally grateful to them.

We heat up the pool and the kids have a blast swimming...

Below are some pics of YS pole vaulting at his track meet this past week. He vaulted 9', which is his new PR (that's personal record in track lingo). He had 3 attempts at 9'6" but couldn't quite make it. Maybe next time.

The new patio furniture that the HWWTM looked and looked and looked and looked for. It's very nice. TD and I sat out in it and knitted yesterday afternoon after the office people left.

Notice Cubby in the bottom of the photo. He won't sit still if I try to take his picture, but as soon as I'm taking pics of other things, he jumps in the way.

And the sock I've been working on, almost done with the gusset decreases...

Not sure what we're doing for Easter tomorrow. I'd like to go to brunch somewhere after church, but the kids would rather grill steaks at home. We usually have a big family gettogether at my mom's, but she and my step-dad just got home last night from a week in Paris, so she's not up to it this year. Anyway, it'll be laid back and relaxing either way.

Happy Easter, everyone.

Mostly Pictures

Just a quick post of mostly pictures. Have to leave soon. YS has a track meet - he pole vaults. Luckily, it's one of the first events, so we don't have to sit there for hours on end.

I started a new sock last night. It's GypsyKnits BFL in Elves 'n Gnomes colorway, a very pretty spring color, I think. The pattern is Celebrate Spring Socks, a free download from Knitting Sunshine.


Progress on the maroon and gray scarf...I only have about 18 inches of gray left to do.

Finished pics of Rogue Roses...

And the yard work continues, laying sod today...