D'ya wanna see what I got???

Last Saturday my hubby and I got out of town and went to Ashland for an afternoon to clebrate our birthdays (just 1 week apart). He is such an understanding husband and knew that I needed a yarn fix. So, he took me to The Websters in Ashland, OR and pretty much left me alone to browse, fondle, sniff, contemplate, and imagine all the different things I could make out of all the different yarns, and specialty fibers that they have there. This is part of what I came home with.....

The picture just doesn't do the yarn justice. It is so hard to get a true representation of the color. I guess I just need to keep practicing with my camera. I seems like I was very attracted to the aqua colors at the shop.

I'm going to use the above 2 yarns to make a scarf. The clerk at the store suggested knitting 2 rows with the yarn (GGH Espirit - # 13 in this link). and then 2 rows with the Tartalette ribbon

(color #641).

I'm going to use the Amelie and Rialto yarns knitted together for a slipped stitch scarf. I chose the GGH yarns because they are oh so heavenly soft. They are going to feel so wonderful keeping my neck warm on a cold day.
I was planning to use these 2 yarns for a small knitted bag. The example in the store was knit with ribbon, and they had loops of ribbon at the top (very girly). I'm thinking I might use the Classic Elite Premiere yarn for the bottom of the bag, with the ribbon just at the top, and maybe both of them for the handle. Any thoughts or suggestions?? The ribbon is

S. Charles - Rondo' color #5018. The colors are very pretty and coordinate very well with the yarn.
This was the biggest purchase of the day. I bought this Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran to make the Cardigan for Arwen that was in the Winter 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. I have signed up to join the KAL for the sweater as well.

Well, I was supposed to finish this blog this AM and now it is 6:30 at night and my family is wanting some attention, so I had better get going. They should feel spoiled - today I made Pork Adobada, home made tortillas and Flan for dinner. AND it was all from scratch - no mixes!!

Stay tuned for news on the progress of the IVY sweater..............

Sorry, I don't have any pics for the blog today. I hope to go out of town this weekend and shop at a yarn store that I haven't been to in a year. I'm sure my resistence will be low and I will have to indulge in a pattern book or two (I would like to get Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road or a book on folk/Ukranian type designs).

I have been working hard on the Ivy sweater and have the back and both front pieces done. I am almost done with the first sleeve, so that leaves one sleeve and both ties to finish. I haven't knitted on much of anything else, work and a family dinner have been getting in the way. I did start a pair of socks of son #3 and am almost ready to knit the heel. I goofed and let him choose fingering weight yarn, which means they MIGHT be finished before he graduates high school in 2 1/2 years!!

Christmas Goodies For Me

Alright, it's hard to decide which gift I am more excited about. I have been wanting A History of Hand Knitting for probably more than a year now. I'm soo happy to finally get it.

Great Knitted Gifts gave me some wonderful ideas for next year. I'm thinking my sister would be drooling all over the pages of this book just like I was. I expecially like the ruffle-edged glove with the matching pillbox hat and drawstring bag. They are very feminine. I also liked the Cherry Blossom mitten and scarf, and the fact that they show some of the projects in more than one colorway to give you more ideas.

The Vogue Knitting Stitchionary: Volume One has me dreaming about designing some things for myself. There are some different designs that I have never seen before that have some texture to them. I like texture. I also received The Knitting Stitch Bible. I'm feeling pretty good about my start on reference books for knitting.

My mom and sister are very crafty also. Above is a picture of the things they made for me. In the upper left corner is a needle holder (I'm sorry, I can't think of the proper term for it right now). When you undo the ties there are pockets on both sides of the padded center. The stitching on it is perfect, and you wouldn't believe what an awesome job of finishing my mom and sister do on their stitching projects. The finishing looks very professional. On the upper right is a cross-stitch pin that my sister did on 40-something count linen, over one thread!! I don't know how she does it. No, I take that back, she does it with glasses and a special magnifying lens and lamp for stitchers!! On the bottom is a beautiful bracelet that my mother made. She really does a great job with the jewelry and my sister and I reap the benefits.
OK, time to drool over yarn. My husband put this in my Christmas stocking, along with a lovely ppiece of jewelry. He sure kknows the way to a girl's heart. The yarn is Claudia Hand Painted yarn in the Sante Fe and Chocolate Cherry colorways, in fingering weight.