SABLE = Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy…here is one way you might outlive your stash!!
And, if you haven’t seen the baby dancing, here it is. 2CUTE4Words
September 26, 2009
September 22, 2009
From Sally — Where Did This Come From?
On Saturday evening, I was invited to a casual birthday party for a dear friend. That afternoon, I rooted through my closet looking for something to wear. It was a beautiful day, but it was a bit cool and we were going to be out in the country where the temperatures would be lower than in DC. So I wanted a sweater.
Looking for something else — although I am not sure what — I stumbled across something stuffed into the back of a shelf. It was one of those “I finished this but I’m not sure I’m happy with it” projects. I’d never worn it. The ends weren’t even woven in — a sure sign of failure. It was a cardigan designed by Martin Storey, called Plaza. The original design has these intriguing crocheted corkscrews dangling all over the deep shawl collar:
I actually made them, put them on, and then removed them. They were lovely in the design’s photo but on me: not so much. Anyway, out of curiosity and desperation I tried the sweater on. Hey. This doesn’t look so bad, I thought. I asked my husband; he liked it.
Well, it was a casual party among friends. Why not? I wore it and got lots of compliments on it. So although it may not be my favorite sweater, I’m putting it into the rotation. And here it is:
September 18, 2009
From Susan — New Yarn!
I am so excited — my yarn arrived for this:
Dale of Norway 10903
My husband looked at the picture and, after a very pregnant pause, said, “That’s a ‘different’ sweater.” In Minnesota, that means ugly. Okay, dear, then you don’t have to wear it. He said the same thing when I showed him the yarn for Henry the VIII. It was going to be for him, but when I got that reaction, I made it for myself and called her Henrietta!
Here is the yarn kind of laid out like it will be in the pattern:
Daletta by Dale of Norway
I purchased the yarn from two sources, but I would like to highlight one of them here: Mary Ann Stephens, known as twostrands on Ravelry (who also moderates a group by the same name), is fantastic to work with. So sweet and accommodating. When I told her I wasn’t sure about the blue, she put together photos and some yarn samples for me to decide on the color. She is also notable for her designs — two of which are in the public eye at the moment: Amaryllis Mittens (mentioned in Yarn Harlot’s mitten hunt and now available as a Ravelry download), as well as the Sleepy Monkey Baby Blanket from the Spring 2009 Twist Collective.
Coincidentally, my knitting peep, Kim, just finished said blanket last night — at least she SAID she was going to complete the very last few sts of i-cord bind off when she got home 😉 . Small knitting worlds collide. Mary Ann handles everything Dale, so if you need patterns, yarn, tutorials on Norwegian steeking, help with project questions — she will do it all!
Anyway, I love the yarn and hope to get to it soon, but as you know I am sewing up a storm and have a deadline. It is unnerving to have a deadline with such dire consequences: if I don’t get it finished, I’ll be naked. If I don’t get it right, I’ll look stupid. No pressure! 
September 16, 2009
From Susan — Dear MKG
Dear MKG,
Thank you for a wonderful evening! I completely enjoyed tonight’s program: people brought their knitting entries from the Minnesota State Fair and shared the judge’s comments, back stories, etc. The meeting lasted until 10 pm because so many people had brought items. I am constantly amazed at the quality and complexity of the knitting and humbled to win any ribbons at all!
Did any of you see this dress? Victoria shared the link in a comment, and I was blown away! Drew looks absolutely stunning and the dress is amazing. The bodice looks like a tattoo! Is crochet sexy? You bet, but who could create this??
September 13, 2009
From Susan — Getting my Mojo Back
Ahhh, fall is in the air and I am loving it! Well, it is actually really hot today, but still. The Vikings are playing football and school has started, so that constitutes fall for me.
I am cobbling together the yarn to make Dale of Norway 10903 (catchy name, huh). I linked to WendyKnits blog because that is where I saw this pattern many years ago. I have loved it ever since and had it in my “I’ll get to that one someday” queue. Well, that day has arrived. The yarn hasn’t! I am going to make it as a cardigan and have changed the blue to one that is a bit darker. Now I will wait patiently for my yarn and dabble in other things. I. Will. Wait. Patiently.
In the meantime I am trying to get my SewJo back (sewing mojo 
). I have an event to attend in 2 weeks. It is a gala. Old ladies in prom dresses. I do not own a prom dress and never did. I am not the evening gown type. So what does a dud wear to a gala? I am going to wear a dressy suit. I bought some drop dead gorgeous gold/brown/black brocade for the jacket and some silky black for a longish dress to go underneath.
Of course, the beauty cannot be captured — elusive as a butterfly!
I have done the cutting and now must start the sewing. Woo Hoo!!
PS: in response to Julie — Dale of Norway 10903 does not have an official name. Wendy (of WendyKnits) named it Frida to give it a name. But if everyone calls it Frida because Wendy named it, then I guess it has a name!
September 7, 2009
From Susan — Stalker and Stalkee
This guy looks nice enough, doesn’t he? Would you suspect him of being a stalker?
The other day after work, I went screaming into the Target parking lot, exited my car, and this very nice looking man said, “I was following you.” My first reaction was to flip my hair back and say, “But of course you were.”
Actually, my first reaction was one of stunned silence. But it seems he was only interested in my license plate — his wife owns Blue Sky Alpacas Yarn! He was surprised to spot a yarnee so blatantly adverstising her passion! He took a picture of my plate and it ended up on Twist Your Stitches. I love Blue Sky Alpacas yarn, have used it frequently and recently, and also just made a sweater from their pattern. And, yes, I know my car is filthy!!
I took HIS picture because I fortuitously had my camera in the car. I had been stalking my own prey! There is a posse of turkeys that inhabits the nature area near my home. Almost every morning I see them gathered in a particular spot along the roadside. So, I brought my camera along to capture them. This particular morning, however, they were not in their usual spot, but in a yard right by my house. Screech!!!! I slammed on the brakes and jumped out to get my shot.
They are so huge and so um, unattractive (?) in a beautiful sort of way.
I also have been doing a little knitting. I stumbled upon the Log Cabin Dishcloth pattern and made one up — nice pattern, quick knit, but mine looks a bit wonky:
Hope you are having a great Labor Day celebrating the end of summer.
August 31, 2009
From Both of Us — Who Would Win??
In response to Susan’s question:
“If you [both] entered the same contest, with the same garment, who would win?”
Sally: Susan, of course.
Susan: Sally would win, hands down!
Thank goodness we’ll never know!!
August 28, 2009
From Susan — Fair Weather Day
Today was Day 1 of the Minnesota State Fair! As I mentioned yesterday, I volunteered to help staff the knitters guild booth. That is a great excuse to hang around lots of knitters. And lots and lots and lots of other people, too! Opening day, perfect weather and “Thrifty Thursday” prices meant a huge crowd.
I got to the fair at 11:30 am and needed to report for duty at 1 pm. I left right after my shift. Needless to say, I did not see much of the fair this time around. BUT, there are a few places I always get to no matter what.
Best Corn Dogs
Location: kitty corner from Creative Activities
The corn dogs are piping hot and fresh, with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cornbread crust. Yum!! I had two.
Best Coffee
Location: Down the street from Creative Activities
They also have a cool jazz trio that plays live music — they are quite good:
I did spend quite a bit of time wandering around the Creative Activities building trying to find my entries. It took a full half hour to find everything!
My entries and their standings (full results here):
Baby Cables Pullover — first
Sweetheart Tunic — first
Lace Beret — first
Quincy hat — first
Aran Wrap — second
Sunburst Beaded Amulet Bag — second
Beaumont Beanie — third
Swirl Scarf — nuttin’
I couldn’t find my hats right away because they were on mannequins wearing beautiful sweaters and my eyes were drawn to the sweaters. I couldn’t find my scarf because it was so well hidden behind everything else in the case! I mean hidden. I mean, please make sure no one is subjected to this scarf! Protect the innocent!
It is very difficult to take good pictures because of the glare off the glass, but here are a few:
Baby Cables — my scarf is in this picture!! Exactly!
Sweetheart (aka Whiskey) Tunic and Aran Wrap (in the back)
Could someone PLEASE cough up a few bucks to buy new mannequins? This next shot looks like “Night of the Living Dead.” The mannies are downright embarrassing.
Quincy in foreground
Lace Beret #13 from Vogue Knitting (hi, Trisha!)
Note the special award for intarsia on someone’s fair isle vest!
Sunburst Bag
Beaumont Beanie — on a headless mannequin (almost an improvement!)
And check this out:
No, not the “Night of the Living Dead” creepy child mannequin…look at the hat (by person unknown)! It’s our Roslin Fair Isle Hoodie knit up as a hat!
Now, I know they have a few bucks to spend on displays — this glass exhibit looks like a fine art house. Breathtaking:
They also had an exhibit of vintage-looking lingerie:
Here are some gorgeous crocheted and knitted table linens:
All in all, it was a quick trip, but felt like a full day indeed.
PS — One of the little knitting items I brought for the MKG booth is my latest FO, and something so clever and cute that a lot of people were interested in the pattern:
It is “Knitted Bunny” and is made with a 6″ knitted square! It is such a clever idea! It is all in the way you sew it together. You knit the ears separately and can also add a little tail. I wanted to share the link here because so many people liked it. Mine is made of KidSilk Aura.
August 26, 2009
From Susan — 1 Day and Cow-nting!
…until the Minnesota State Fair! Corn dogs, Pronto Pups, alligator-on-a-stick. You name it and you’ll find it at the Great Minnesota Get Together!
One of the really exciting things you will find ::cough::cough:: — not on a stick I hope — is moi! I will be staffing the Minnesota Knitters Guild section of the craft booth in the Creative Activities Building from 1-3 pm on opening day tomorrow. Please stop and say “hi” if you are hanging around looking at the ribbon-festooned knitting.
I did enter a few smaller items this year and will certainly not be taking the world by storm, but it is always a fun place to hang around. Especially the first day when all of the hard cores come out to see the knitting.
If you do stop by, please say your name as I have NO MEMORY lately and need all the help I can get!!
August 22, 2009
From Susan — Even MORE Hats!
As I promised, there are even more hats on the loose in my house. Hats are fun because they are fast. And that makes them my new best friend.
This small booklet came out a week or two ago and there a couple of hat patterns that I liked.
Made in Brooklyn by Jared Flood
As mentioned in the last post, I started my Lace Beret in pale gray Fresco yarn. I also have some cream Fresco in my stash. One of Jared’s hats uses four colors of Fresco, two of which I already had! Woo Hoo! I ran out and bought the other two colors and voila:
Beaumont Beanie in Classic Elite Fresco
This hat is baby bunny soft and has a halo about it. Four skeins is enough yarn to make two hats. There are two versions of the same hat: one is the beanie you see here and the other is a tam that is shown in two colors only. The main difference is the gauge. This hat is knit on US size 5 needles, with a gauge of 31 sts/4 inches. And I thought I was a tight knitter! My knitting looked very sloppy to me as I was going along, so I decided it was trying to become a tam. Plus, the ribbing was way too tight and so it was shaped like a tam. I wet blocked it on a plate and everything:
It’s pretty as a tam, BUT it started to shrink. As soon as it was off the plate it started getting smaller! So, I re-wet it and blocked it as a beanie. The finished gauge: 31 sts/4 inches. Another knitting mystery. I also had to cut off and re-work the ribbing so it would not cinch in so much. I bought some dark blue to go with the pale gray to make a hat for my younger daughter in her school colors.
The other hat I made from the book is the one from the cover, called Quincy:
Quincy in Manos Del Uruguay, Color Prairie
It has a really fun and unusual construction, and when you put it on, you never want to take it off. It is SO comfortable! The criss-cross can go anywhere on your head, however you want to wear it. My DD (the elder) even liked it and wants one for this winter. I have a feeling I’ll be making a few of these!
