Swap Package

I received my swap package from Andrea on Friday. I love it. It is full of so many fun things.

The package was in this cute basket with gingerbread men around it. The cutest knitting sheep magnet. A mug with lid to keep my cocoa with marshmallows hot. Some wonderful pumpkin pie three in one body wash, shampoo and bubblebath. It smells so yummy I could eat it.

Also in the package was some Lone Star Arts Peppermint Twist fusion 100% superwash merino yarn. It is very soft. There was a knitting calender with cool things to make, a journal, post it notes and ruled pad of paper, note cards, a Christmas stamp block , and cinnamon candles. Oh I almost forgot there were, noticed I said were, two Lindt chocolate bars, one was chocolate toffee and the other which was awesome, white chocolate and coconut. Yummy!!

Thank you again Andrea that was very sweet of you. I love it!!!

Pool, Another Crafty Event and the Knitting Fairy

I can't believe the pool is complete. We are so excited for it to finally be over and of course now it is getting cooler. But that doesn't seem to stop the offspring of two Canadians. Keep in the mind the water temperature was 58 degrees. The boys insisted on going in except one thought it was too cold. Hopefully, we will heat the spa up this weekend. WARNING: I suck at taking videos, apparently I'm shaky according to my family who every time they watch one of my recordings feel like they are on an amusement ride. This one, I think, is not so bad.

I took a picture of the pool this evening with the lights on and the boys refer to it as the green slime pool. Boys? I think it looks peaceful and inviting. I can't wait until the patio cover goes up, the furniture set out, the landscaping is completed and the landscape lighting gets installed.

On a crafty note, I received a phone call today from a lady who would like me to participate in an open house she is having at her home to sell my bags. She has 7 vendors including me and we all have different things to sell. I'm excited about this because there is no booth fee and hopefully I can sell the remaining bags I have. She seemed very pleasant and sells Mary Kay herself. I'll keep you posted.

A huge thank you again to the Knitting Fairy, http://www.knittingfairy.com/ , for helping me make heads and tails or should I say yarn over and knit stitches of my pinwheel sweater. I was tootling along on my sweater and then I kept forgetting if I was on a yarn over round or a knitting round. What a mess!! I tried to fix it myself and didn't do too bad but I still have to rip back about 15 rounds or so. I didn't mind because it is a simple pattern, ya right and that is why I'm having so much trouble. It really is a simple pattern and I decided I need to knit on it at home in a quiet place or figure out a method to keep track of which round I'm on.

What I got in Rhinebeck and Craft Shows - Picture heavy

I finally got around to taking pictures of the things I purchased in Rhinebeck. I have been working on the pinwheel sweater for myself using this Alpaca, Merino and Tussah mix. It is so soft and I love the way the and I love the way the colors are knitting up.

I also got some Alpaca that is Chocolate Brown and Gray but it actually looks blue. I will be making a sweater out of this but the pattern has yet to be determined. Again, so soft.

This is some Primero 100% kid mohair from Brooks Farms Yarn which I will be making the circular scarf in Old Shale Pattern.

This is 55% Silk and 45% cashmere laceweight yarn from Skaska Designs. I will be making a lace shrug with. The color shows as orange but it is a coral color that is so pretty.

This is a merino lace weight shawl kit from Morehouse Farms. The colors were so pretty and looked like the trees.

This is some Sunshine Sock Yarn that Dani was handing out for free 1/2 skeins (225 yards). I plan on making a scarf with beads in it with this yarn. I saw one made up at the festival and now I just have to find the beads. The colorway is Standing in the Rain.

I also bought this dark purple, black and red sock yarn. Some other sock yarn from Herdwick Fine Merino Superwash. Colorway is Jackie's Woods that looks like Christmas Colors. The pattern for it came as a bookmarker. I thought that was cool idea.

To wind all this beautiful yarn, I purchased this jumbo ball winder. I also purchased a swift that sits on a table. You can clamp it if you want but you don't have to. Sorry no pic of the swift but I think we all know what that looks like.

I have also decided that I am not a craft show type of gal. I think I will make things on request and put the love and enjoyment into that article rather than mass producing things to sell and have them sit in my craft room like the Misfits on Misfits Island. Actually the little reversible bags I made are coming in handy because my boys have three birthday parties to go to in the next two weeks and so I have decided to put a gift card into a bag and attach a "From" card to it. These little bags are perfect for socks projects or small knitting projects. They also fit Webkinz perfectly. They are about 6" round and 8" high. The camo reverses to the fushia, the baseballs reverse to the stars and the ladybug reverses to red dragonflies. The puppies/paw prints and soccer balls/stars fabrics are in progress. They are cut out but not sewn.

Here is a picture of the knitting tote bags I have made for the show and now reside in my craftroom. If you are interested in any let me know. The first one is neat because the handles are made from curtain tie backs. The next two are suede like fabric that is so soft to touch. The next two are drapery/upholstery fabric. They all have three interior pockets and one has a zipper pocket on it too. Each bag is $45.00.

Rhinebeck in One Word - AWESOME

It was amazing. You should really think about planning on going next year. It is always the third weekend in October.


We got to the festival and we started out in a building all together and quickly realized that it would be impossible to keep four of us together for the day so I suggested we meet up for lunch, Lise and Betty went on their mission to find yarn for specific projects and Kathy and I wandered around. What was really funny, was when we got back to theB&B Lise and Betty would ask us "Where did you find that?" and we the same. So day two was used to hit the places the others hit the day before. It was like watching a movie for the second time when you went back on Sunday because you didn't see something the first day and there it was on the second day. Could be the restocking ofthe vendors too?


The fun part was playing Blogger Bingo. Kathy and I (mostly Kathy -she was the Blogger Bingo expert, go figure she doesn't even have a blog) kept our eyes peeled for bingo squares. We only needed five squares by the time we left yesterday. It was so much fun. We met so many nice people. We met the Knitting Ps Petra and Pamela who live in Arlington and Dallas. They were very nice. And at one point on Saturday Kathy and I were walking and who should be in our direct line of vision "THE YARN HARLOT". I went up to her and said "Excuse Stephanie, I'm Susanne a fellow Canadian, it is so nice to meet you". It was so cool. The next day I went and got her to sign a book and we had our picture taken with her. She is nice. I kenered her at the Ravelry after party too.

There were a boat load of people there. Some of whom I have chatted with since returning. There was so many nice people we met.

The next day we saw her and got our picture taken with her.

Betty was MIA, she was chatting with a lady who was watching the Sheep to Shawl Competition. Which by the way was kinda cool.

I would highly recommend the festival but even though the B&B was very nice and the breakfasts awesome and it was only a few minutes from the fairgrounds, I would probably stay somewhere cheaper next time. Location was great, the B&B was so close to the fairgrounds that I pulled out of the B&B and accerlated and the girls all said "You just missed the entrance to the parking lot" Well heck I didn't realize I could coast from the B&B to the fairgrounds it was so close LOL.

We met Mary Beth Temple, what a down to earth friendly nice person. She wrote a book a called Secret Language of Knitters or something like that. Anyway, she said she signed some of her books for Margo Lynn for the DFW Fiber Fest next year. Who knew? Margo was at the festival and we didn't run into her once. We all bought Mary Beth's book. It is funny.

We all had a great time. I can't wait to knit up my purchases. I think the favorite I got was the peruvian alpaca and some cashmere silk. They are so soft. The only thing I really wanted but didn't get was an angora rabbit. They were the cutest.







I truly enjoyed the trip. I wish we could have found the shawl though. But I leave you with this ...

...three girls trying to catch a flightback home can be pretty entertaining. We arrived at the airport with one hour to spare. Cool, check in, grab a bite to eat, go to the restroom and then board. NOT. We pulled up to the AVIS car return and the guy says What's the mileage? What's the gas? So I tell him and he goes, I'm trying to help you Mam they are going to charge you $70 to fill that tank up? The three of us just said forget it loaded up the vehicle and off to the gas station we go. Out of the airport onto the highway, apparently you were to come to a fork in the road and then turn on 120, North or South? Don't remember what he said. Off we go on 120 crap no gas station keep going, still nothing, Lise Navigator Extrordinaire, says turn here. Okay, oh we see a sign for gas. Now we have 50 mins to check in and catch our flight. New York has full service and self service gas station I parked at full service. No can't do that, wait for Mr.Motorcycle dude to speed it up and move out of the way since we now have 45 mins to check in and board our flight. He moves, we get the gas and head back. I drop the girls off at the front of the terminal they take all the bags I go return the car. We check in and the plane just arrived so we have time for the restroom and off we go. I'm sorry but that was a little too close for me and I know for them. But now we know we can catch a flight in less than 45 mins.

What a trip!!!

Long Time No Post

How do you define stress? Have a pool put in your backyard!! They always tell you that when you put a pool in that it is going to be stressful. Your yard will be a construction site for 6 to 8 weeks. Okay, no problem I can deal with that. What I couldn't deal with were errors as a results of not having the correct plan for the pool. It was a domino effect. But I don't want to bore you all with those details. I stressed over them enough over the month.


I keep closing my eyes and imaging this hole in the ground with the blue water and water fall being so soothing and relaxing while I sip on a cool stiff drink. We are about 1 1/2 weeks away.

How do spell stress relief? Indulge in the hobbies you enjoy. That is what I have been doing. Here is a picture, which doesn't do the fabric justice, of a few knitting totes I'm working on.

As I previously posted, my son Andrew has taken an interest in sewing. Here are the pictures of him working on his rag quilt. He is just about done. I love that!!

Last night I went to the DFW Knitting Guild meeting as a guest of lady named Mary Jo, she knits with beads. I had met Mary Jo a few years back and thought what an amazing craft to knit with beads. I recently saw her and I'm glad I took her up on the invitation to go to the Guild Meeting. There were a lot of ladies in attendance and Liz, Tasha, Betty and Patti O were there too. I thought I would try my hand at making a thimble bag.


I must say I am enjoying knitting it. Below is a picture of the progress I am making on it. I would be further along except for the fact that I had to cast on about 4 times before I got it right. I can't wait to finish it.

As you can see by the time ticker at the top of my blog, Rhinebeck is in 16 days. Holy Moly!!! I guess I won't have my project done by the time I leave. Oh well, I just want to have a great time. I'm sure I will with the bunch I'm going with. Lise and I are participating in the Blogger Bingo a lady on Ravelry is organizing. We are going to be a square on the bingo cards. We will have something to identify us and people will need to come up to us and see if they have our blog address on their card. It is such a fun way to meet other knitters.

Well, off to sit out side and glare at my cement pond. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Labor Day Weekend

What is a person to do when they don't really have any plans for a longweekend? Well, since it is my birthday weekend I requested that I get one day to be in my craft room doing whatever I choose to do uninterrupted. That is what I planned to do. But little did I know that my sons age 8 and 6 would like to sew too. So much for no interruptions. But I think it is wonderful that they are interested in sewing.

I had planned to make them each a flannel rag quilt. I had the squares cut out already so I thought that would be a good project for them to do. Straight sewing. So I have DS1 set up on my old sewing machine and DS2 on my newest machine. Well, they were going to town. DS2 is almost ready to assemble his and is so excited. But I think he was more excited about the fact that you push a button and the machine sews without pushing the peddle. He calls this the "ghost is sewing" feature. LOL The DS1 has taken a break and off to do errands with Dad.

Well, I must say I love Joann Fabrics' coupons. I went yesterday and purchased fabric to make 10 tote bags for my craft sale and used my 10% off total purchase coupon so the damage wasn't as bad as I thought. Today, I have cut out the fabric for all the bags and just need to cut the fabric for the braided handles, which I think is the preferred tote handle. I will have to wait to sew them since DS2 has decided to sew on. I will have to take some pics and post them later of his blanket. So as he accomplishes his goal of completing his blanket, I continue on cutting out fabric for various bags, I plan on making some reversible, medium and small sizes too.

I can't wait to see what all the bags look like once they are complete.

New York Socks

I finally, finally finished my socks I love to refer to as my "New York Socks". I'm going to Rhinebeck in October and the colorway reminds me of carmel apples. Since New York is the Big Apple these are my New York Socks. This is only my second pair of socks that I knit and these ones actually fit me. Thanks to the tip I received from the Knitting Fairy to knit up to the crack in my toes and than decrease. Yeah!! It worked and the socks fit.

I tried a three needle bind off for the toe and I loved it! Much easier to me than kitchnering the toe.

Now that the kids are back in school I am working on organizing my many projects I want to do for the upcoming craft shows I'm in with my friend Lynn. One craft show is on Oct 27. I'll let you know where. The other is at St. Jude Church 1515 Greenville Avenue, Allen on Nov 2-3.

Friends are like knitting...

I have come to realize today that friendships are similar to knitting. Some friendships are tight stitches and some are loose but no matter what the stitch type you are friends and the outcome is something made that is beautiful. Then there are those dropped stitches. Sometimes you don't know why the stitch got dropped but you pick up and move on. Sometimes a dropped stitch looks like a ladder and you may have to climb back up that ladder to make the stitch tight again. Sometimes that is easy and sometimes it is not. There are times you just frog the project or leave it on the needles to be picked up later.

Friendships to me are like a pattern too. You have to figure it out and follow along and see what you get in the end. Hopefully it is something that will last a long time. Like any good knitting project you need to work at your friendships but I have realized that you need to really read some patterns closely so you don't get frogged.

I think I am finally figuring out some patterns.

Changed my Blog Name

I decided to change my blog name to reflect my lastest interest. I'm really getting into my sewing lately and loving it. (I'm sure my husband is too since he bought me my new sewing machine a year ago and I haven't sewn much with it).

I also have been crocheting like a machine. I have been edging baby blankets and making booties for an upcoming craft show I am participating in. I am really having a wonderful time doing this. Don't get me wrong I still love to knit, in fact I need to motor on my tank top if I want to wear it in Canada. Gee that doesn't leave much time since I have a less than a week before I go.

Creative Juices are flowing

I recently went to Tuesday Morning. I love that store. When I was there I found a basket which I thought was very nice and was inspired to crochet a top for it as seen in one of my crochet books. Well this is the result. I think it is really cute for taking along in-progess projects. VOILA!

I also found some very cute napkins and cocktail napkins. Now here is where the creative juices spillith over the glass (see the martini glass on the napkin). I made this lovely tote bag from them. Okay I know there are other similar things out there with dishtowels and placemats but I thought the cocktail napkins made it. Here is a before and after picture. The lining fabric I had and found it match well. The black cocktail napkin is a pocket.

Many pictures of lovely things

Here is a couple of pictures of my most recent knitting tote. This was made for my friend Becky as stated in my previous post. The first picture is the inside where I decided to use the outside fabric for the interior pocket. I love the velvet trim too. I'm glad Becky loved it.

These are the pictures of the Coachella tank top. I have frogged it and I am ready to recast it. I think the ball of ty dy looks like a fresh fig. The first picture is the back and the second one is of the front.
This is the DROPS crochet tank top. The yarn is so nice to work with. It is Garnstudio Paris yarn.

This is a picture of our fig tree. This fig tree died back and then one day a sprout came out of the ground and it has grown into this lovely fig bearing tree. The figs are so large from all the rain we have had.

Lastest Knitting and sewing

I have been working on the Knitty.com Coachella tank top. I was cruising along nicely until I got to the part where they say "We recommend that you put all stitches on waste yarn and check the hang of the neck and bust shaping" basically is what they said.

I followed the direction and low and behold, the neck drapes down to my belly button almost. So in the words of a knitter (I believe it was Manda who said) You have to know when to frog them. I can't believe that I have to frog the whole tank top when I was so close to finishing it. But it is my bad, I did not do the famous gauge swatch and actually I believe it is the fact that the pattern calls for size 7 and 9 needles and the yarn gauge is 7s. I'm using the Knit One, Crochet Two Ty Dy in the Magenta colorway. Oh well, live and learn.

Another project I have started is a tank top from the DROPS patterns I purchased from Delightful Hands. This is a crochet project and it is moving along very quickly.

I have two other projects on the needles, the Mary Lial (spelling) shawl and a pair of socks. I can't wait to finish the socks, boring me to no end right now. The shawl I have to be in the mood for.

I am also doing the Basics, Basics, Basics course from the The Knitting Guild of America. I have 3/5 swatches completed and then I can submit my Lesson One. I have to have the course completed by December 2007.

I have also been sewing more knitting totes. My lastest is probably my favorite. I made it for my friend Becky so she can tote around Paisley's (who she is adopting from China, can't wait) things or pack it for a trip to Grandma's. It is paisley fabric in brown, cream and green. My sister a bag for herself as she would like to use it for taking her lunch and change of shoes to school when she goes to work. She is a kindergarten teacher in Canada. So change of shoes are required in the winter. I DON"T miss the snow.

Whee!! I'm winded. I should post more often. Pictures to follow soon.
Happy Knitting

Knitting Progress and Dyed Yarn

Way back when I dyed yarn with my sons using Kool-aid. Up until the other day we did not know what to do with it. My youngest, Andrew decided he wanted a sweater for his Webkinz. So I made a little sweater (more like a vest) for his Webkinz Scruffy. There is Scruffy wearing his sweater. His colorway is called "Rainbow Red" because it looks like a rainbow but mostly red.

I have also may good progress on my Top-Down Sweater. I love the way the yarn is knitting up.

Knitting Bag Pour Moi

Here is another knitting bag I sewed. I love it. It is pour Moi!! I can't wait to tote my knitting around in my new bag. I love the colors.