lots of things, actually. But today you can call me “the finisher”.

I’m proud to report a bevy of finished projects. I know, its more common for me to be saying, “Woohoo! I started 12 new things”. But I’m finishing some and I have yet to cast on for the usual 12 new things! That’s not to say that I haven’t cast on for at least one new thing…

Last Friday I finished the Forest Canopy Shawl:

And a close up:

Spunky Eclectic SuperNova in Soylent colorway, size 5 needles. I bought the kit from my shop. I did one extra leaf repeat. I totally could have done more but I wanted it as a shop sample and for it to be close to the original. I did have plenty of yarn left over which will become socks at some point. I’m already planning the next one, which will be for me. This pattern really is easy. I had it memorized after the first repeat. It is the perfect beginner lace project. But even if you’re experienced, it’s nice to have some easy knitting. Talk about instant gratification.

Saturday I finished the Gulls wings socks.

The pattern is from the book Socks Socks Socks. The yarn is Spunky Eclectic SuperNova in the How Very Berry Colorway. I love these socks. They are the perfect height and just right for my feet.

Monday I finished the RPM socks for myself

That’s right - another pair of socks for me. I think more monumental than finishing all these projects is that I got 2 new pairs of socks. My feet are going to be happy to be warm. The pattern is RPM from Knitty and the yarn is Cherry Slush fingering weight with nylon (I probably got the name wrong yet again, sorry Joni, I promise to stop losing ball bands) from Union Center Knits.

I also started a new project of socks for me:

The teally brown color is BFL in colorway Navajo Gems, the pink is Alpaca in the colorway Mandy. Neither material is something I generally would use for socks. The BFL is spun lofty and soft and Alpaca tends to stretch out. Still, I wanted a new pair of handspun socks and these 2 yarns were wound up and in my knitting basket. I wasn’t feeling well enough to keep running around looking for the right yarn so I used the thought; “the right yarn is the one in my hand”. I can’t remember what project I had planned on using them for, but they’re socks now.

Thank you all for the well wishes. I’m working on getting better. I’ve donned my mask and I’m working diligently at making sure all packages ordered by now are on their way before I head out to Rhinebeck. This is my last post (I think) until I get back. There is lots to do. But before I sign off, I do want to mention this book:

My copy just arrived last night. It’s downright magnificent. And not just because Adrian and I have patterns in it. There are lots of patterns from amazing designers and so much wisdom. I haven’t had a chance to read all of it so I’ll leave it at that and just tell you to get a copy, you won’t regret it. I’ll blab on more about it next week.

Husbeast and I decided to take a night off for ourselves and head out to Bar Harbor with no children in tow. It sounded like a good idea until we realize we had been infected. I’m thinking it was allergies and there was some giant hairball of a cat around. Still I wanted to pretend I was fine. We went out to Cadillac and I decided I didn’t want to climb around, so I sat and knit.

It was right after that photo that I started to wonder if it was allergies or something bigger… The drive home we call home and the girls had been feeling ill, though not to the level that Husbeast and I were getting hit. The girls today are running around and happy. I am taking every herbal concoction that I have in my medicinal bag (everything that is that is safe to combine and won’t be overdoing it).

I’ll be resting and trying really hard to feel better for Rhinebeck. Of course I hope to get every order shipped that needs to be shipped as well. I’m not dyeing today but I’ll be back at it tomorrow and shipping out then. Today I’m concentrating on the kids and making some hot and sour soup.

I have some knitting to show off but that requires effort on my part to get up and photograph it. I’ll show it all off soon, I promise.

Ok, this post isn’t really about Coffee. Although some of you remember I gave it up. I’m back on the sauce. I’m trying to make a new website - all pretty with a new cart and well, it’s still decaf, and it’s low acid - I just need that smell and taste like I’m getting a caffeine boost. We’ll see what my mind and body think of it. And if it helps me get through this trying time.

In the meantime, I do have an update for you.
For some reason the notifier didn’t send out. I’m going to send it again. I suppose that’s what I get for doing it really late at night while only fueled with decaf.

I have completed a good part of the Forest Canopy Shawl. I need to still update that part of the website (working on 2 websites at once is killer) so bear with me. *edit* - I’m working on the kits now. Hopefully by the end of the day they’ll be done. I have the Forest Canopy all set to go.

Have a good weekend all.

For the sneaks it was hard to pick just one.

There is the hide it under the horse blanket trick and keep the package in the stall until you can safely bring it into the house. Then there is the ingenious idea of making the other person’s eyes glaze over with the gushing about the yarn to the point where all they want you to do is to go away and stop talking about yarn. So that may not really be a sneak but it’s ingenious. Then there are a bunch of you that rush to get home before they do, or schedule deliveries so they won’t see it. That takes some real planning. Then there are the sneaks that lampoon themselves in their sneaky ways (such as losing their keys for a week because they were sneaking yarn and hid it quickly along with the keys or not being able to use it because you weren’t supposed to be in the yarn store). Priceless.

There is a yarn store that is collecting empty tampon boxes so some women can sneak their yarn into the house. There is the “someone else bought it for me” method of sneaking. That one is just classic. There is another story of a woman who died, her kids were cleaning out her house and found a loose board in the closet, hidden back there was a ton of yarn. She was a sneaker too.

I feel for those of you that have gotten caught too. It’s never a good thing to be caught mid sneak.

In case anyone was wondering. There were 4 times as many self proclaimed non sneakers. Not a ton of people entered the contest but if this is any indication of the population, there are way more of us that don’t have to sneak.

Without further ado lets announce some winners.

The best sneaking story goes to Brianna with her horse. She wins 2 skeins of Super DK.

Out of the rest of the sneak stories there was a name drawn… Tanya you get to chose some SuperNova.

Finally, all of you non-sneakers got put in a hat and the name drawn was Nicole (she didn’t reference a blog). Nicole gets some Skinny Sock.

Thank you everyone for playing along. It was a blast reading all of your stories. I don’t do nearly enough contests. I love hearing all your answers. I’ll try to come up with something just as good for the next one.

I’ll be heading out to the shop today and hopefully working on my wheel. My fingers are crossed that my Dad read my note and left me more sand paper and maybe some instructions. I think I’ve figured out a color too. I think….

Today is announcement day!

I have so much to say I figured instead of putting at the end of a post where it might get missed I’d put it all here so it will be noticed. You are going to read it all right? You might be sorry if you don’t

Announcement 1

Yes we are open and have been open a little while but we haven’t celebrated. I’ll be having a Shop Grand Opening Celebration November 3rd and 4th. That’s right, I’m open on a Sunday. Only expect that once in a blue moon. There will be tons of sales going on and I’m going to release a special “Grand Opening” colorway. I’ll dye up only so much that will be for sale on this weekend and once it’s gone, I’m not doing it again. It will be available in various fibers and yarns. So you’ll likely have your chance at it. I’ll announce all the sales and deals later on when I get it all situated. Don’t worry web folks, I’ll have some deals for you too. I couldn’t leave you out.

Announcement 2
I’ll be at Rhinebeck. Not Vending though.
I’ll be walking around and pretending to be a square

Even though I’m not vending, I’ll still bring stuff for you. I have an empty car going up. Just me and some wine and some credit cards. If you want me to deliver some stuff, let me know. People can either meet me at the hotel lobby or I’ll be at the fair on Saturday only. So we can have a clandestine meeting in the parking lot to exchange the goods. You know that’s how some of us dealers are. Just let me know and I’ll keep a list running of what to bring.

Announcement 3
Merlin Tree Hyacinth

I adopted her yesterday. Well, the deal has been in the works for over a week, I was just able to meet up with her first owner yesterday. She’s getting sanded all pretty and smooth and I’ll be putting a finish on her. Of course, I spun a bit before I took her apart. As I left her last night, she’s in a bunch of little pieces all over the shop at the moment. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get her finished and start putting her back together the end of the week.