The Tammy Sweater

I have a secret project. It's driving me crazy. The Vine Yoke Cardigan seems as if it should be a fairly easy knit. Everyone on Ravelry says so......it's driving me crazy. Oops. I said that already.

My sweater has a name. Tammy the sweater is named in honor of Tammy Mill, my knitting buddy from LYS. If I ever complete this sweater, it will be due to Tammy (the person) and her monumental patience as she deciphers the pattern, thus enabling me to knit the darn thing. I spent trick-or-treat night at Tammy's last night. Highlight of the evening, besides the little girl in the Tinkerbell costume, was starting the first sleeve and not jumping off a bridge while knitting it.

I already love this sweater. It will be special. There's a ton of friendship already knitted into it.

Stay tuned.

Knit happens :)

So...the fall gathering of Sacred Stitches at St. John's in Huntingdon, PA is history. I always learn something interesting at our get-togethers. This time, The Seamen's Church Institute took center stage. The headquarters for this group is in NYC, within sight of the Brooklyn Bridge. Each year, 4,500 SCI volunteers around the country knit and pack gifts for more than 17,000 mariners in Port Newark and the inland river system.

The knitters at St. John's knit hats, scarves, and vests out of sturdy, Red Heart-type yarn for those hardy individuals who sail the seas. Next time you eat something from the ocean, thank these guys. Then, check out the free patterns on-line and whip something warm up for this worthy group.

Ever hear of Cable Needle Necklaces?? They look pretty ingenious, and cute, to boot. I read about them on Ravelry just now and was intrigued.

Adventures in Stupidity

I found the coolest little pattern the other day, called the Herringbone Neckwarmer. It called for 1 skein of Twinkle Soft Chunky, but I saw a leftover bit of Lion Brand Thick & Chunky from a hat project sitting all alone in my stash. So, I think, how cool to have a little neckwarmer to go with the hat sitting in my closet. Duh. I love the heathery blue of the yarn, the horizontal herringbone stitch is so cool, AND I bought 2 lovely buttons at Legacy Yarns, a LYS that's only a half mile from my home. Did I mention this was an adventure in stupidity? So, I've posted on Ravelry. It doesn't look too promising since Lion Brand doesn't even show this color, a bluish heather, anymore. I suppose I'll wait a little while before frogging it. Perhaps there really is a good fairy of yarn lurking around somewhere..........

Rhinebeck Yarn :)

Funny how all the yarn looks beautiful together. I found Brown Sheep for $4. a skein, a skein of wonderful Noro for half price and a skein of mohair (pink!!) We got to the Knitmore Girl's meet n' greet a bit early and were rewarded with a gift bag of Regia sock yarn, free scarf pattern, measuring tape, teabag and a recipe and a pin. Thanks to Tammy's daughter, Rebecca, for introducing me to the Knitmore Girls and their podcast.

A day to remember.

If you see the pictures I took at Rhinebeck yesterday, you'd think it was some sort of food festival. I couldn't really help myself. The food stands were so cool, with the added touch of Halloween kitsch. I was in heaven!

Mountains of fiber, beautiful shades of yarn everywhere, bargains to boggle the mind, and the cutest angora rabbit in the world. (ok. it's the only one I've ever seen.)

It rained buckets on Friday night as I drove to knitting buddy Tammy Mill's home to spend the night. Then, it was 4:30 AM and time to leave, again, in the pouring rain... for Rhinebeck. I think we were somewhere in NJ when I noticed that the skies had cleared and then THE SUN came out. The day was cold and wonderful. And the rain? It started again as we entered NJ on our way home.

Pictures of the yarn that followed me home to follow........soon as I find my camera.

Rhinebeck!

It is official. I am traveling to Rhinebeck with 2 dear knitting buddies this Saturday. A day trip, but that's ok. I've done crazier things and, besides, I'm not driving.....yummmm....quality knitting time :)

Mission Accomplished: The Ostrich Plume Lace Scarf

A picture just does not do this lace scarf justice. You'll have to believe me when I tell you that it is beautifully divine.

Destination : :LYS

Last Friday was a very invigorating day. I got to spend a few hours at LYS. The Lancaster Yarn Shop is located in an historic American foursquare home at Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, PA.

I have to admit that we Lancastrians get a fair amount of ribbing because of place names like Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, and so on.

The little town of Intercourse, was called Cross Keys, back in the olden days. Its' current name speaks to the "fellowship" or social interaction and friendship which was so much a part of an agricultural village and culture at the time.

There sure is a ton of social interaction and fellowship going on within the walls of LYS. Wendy Ellis runs a warm, inviting haven full of colorful yarn and inviting projects. I've met folks from England, Italy, Japan, Canada, and various parts of this gloriously beautiful United States while hanging out at LYS.

The common thread in all of the meetings is the love of fiber arts (mainly knitting, for moi).

I am currently lusting over the heavenly shawl, pictured above, that is knit with boucle and mohair yarn. The picture does not do justice to the colors in Claudia 's Handpainted Yarn.

The other picture you'll see here is the display of the local yarn: most notably Rachel Marie's Knitty Dirty Girl and Kelly Pederson's Whorled Peace. ( Astute readers of my blog, and you know who you are, will recognize Whorled Peace as the yarn in my ostrich plume scarf, pictured above WHICH IS NOW FINISHED!!!!!)

Well, Lordy Miss Scarlet. how I do go on...and on...and on......but it's the yarn talking.

Stop in at LYS, y'all...where everybody knows your name. And you probably thought that was Cheers?

I breathe, therefore I knit

I am currently knitting "kissing cousins". Yep. Two projects, distantly related. My swallowtail shawl (which I love) and my lacy baktus (also, very dear to my heart). They share a common ancestry, since the SWT was to be knit with the lovely Tess's yarn, but somewhere along the line, a lovely Jojoland Rhythm jumped onto my needles.

Lacy Baktuses, bakti?, were all around me last week...so, armed with size 4 straights and my Tess pastel - heaven yarn, I cast on a day ago. Yep. Succumbed to temptation and sinning never felt so good. I love my lacy baktus. And I love my SWT.

You find the funniest things......

I had a request from an old pal for a scarf knit in the colors of the Irish flag....off to research I go, not content to just knit any old green, orange, and white thing. Well...what should I stumble onto, but Three Irish Girls yarn. Wow! Such beautiful colors, and funny stuff too.

I think I'd better take Mary's advice and do something simple....or, maybe I'll keep searching.

Any ideas out there? My pal, Shaner, is a rugged, retired schoolteacher, historian type. Darn. No Swallowtail-type scarf.

In search of fall colors

The weather was supposed to be perfect as we set off on our adventure yesterday. It wasn't.

We had fun anyway.
The Mansfield/Wellsboro, PA area has always been special for Ken and me.  After all, we met at Mansfield University way back when we were just kids.


The silver lining for me? Fall colors of a different sort: yarn stash: meet your new neighbors, thanks to a sale at Mad About Ewes on our journey north.  These skeins are only in the 200 yard amount, but will make nice, warm ,something or others one of these days.  Yum.