It’s Been a While

Life has been like a merry go round here lately and I’m ready for it to stop and let me off and rest for a while.  That isn’t looking too promising though, as I’m leaving on Wednesday for Houston.  I committed to this trip a long time ago and I’m now wishing the timing were different.  Oh, well, c’est la vie!

My dear son-in-law Darren’s Dad has been battling another round of chemo so I wanted to make him a comfort quilt.  I had a panel with cottage scenes which was really appropriate as Jack loves going to his cottage.  I think it took me longer to find the panel than it did to make the quilt.  I spent days looking for it and almost had myself convinced I didn’t buy it after all, when I finally found it.

I also got my woven look scarf finished.  Boy, there was a lot of knitting in that thing.  I took me almost half an hour to do a row!

I’m really happy with it.  I used 3 balls of Koigu, a light purple, dark purple and the burgundy. 

Now I can get busy and knit myself some socks.  I’m anxious to try the new yarn by Lorna’s Laces called Solemate.  It’s supposed to have built in climate control so your feet don’t get too hot or too cold.  If it works, I need to knit something for my whole body in that stuff!!!!

Lancaster

I’ve been trying to recover from our trip to Lancaster all week.  It was a lot of driving and since I get motion sickness, I had to do all of it.  We did 18, yes 18 stores in 2 days – no wonder I’m tired!

I had the pleasure of meeting Suzan, from The Reluctant Quilter and she is every bit as nice and bubbly in person as she comes across on her blog.  I called her on Saturday morning and she told us The Hayloft were closing and had 25% off everything, so it was a no brainer where we would meet!  She also brought the antique quilt she has been working on to let me see it.  Kudos to her for fixing it all and getting it into a finished quilt.  I wouldn’t have had the patience.

Here we are, surrounded by the things we love :-)

My friend Joan (the smartass one) wanted to see a picture of what I didn’t buy.  I think I showed amazing restraint.

I bought yardage of the 3 on the left for backings and the rest were just small pieces of things I liked. 

While I was busy patting myself on the back for my restraint in the fabric stores, we happened on a wool shop.  I didn’t show quite as much restraint there, but I love what I bought!

I need to get busy and knit myself some more socks.  My friend Ursula asked me if I would knit a pair for her and her Mum.  I took 3 new pairs to bowling to let her take home and try on for size.  She came back the next week, minus the socks and wanted to buy them all.  I told her they weren’t for sale and she said, too bad, here’s some money, I love them and I want them all!!!  Now I have no socks left :-(

I’m trying to get this scarf finished before I start my socks.  I was working on this when we were away and since my roommates are used to much later nights than I am, I was up way past my bedtime and managed to drop a stitch.  We all tried to fix it, but the pattern isn’t an easy one to pick up a dropped stitch, so I ended up ripping it all out and starting over. 

I’m not sure which I’m better at – ripping out knitting or frogging!  I seem to do a lot of both.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends.