I must be crazy

Do you have those moments of trying to be practical, trying to be reasonable, and making what you think is the most logical and responsible decision. Do you, after trying this, and achieving success, find yourself longing to have made a different choice?

I do and I have. I am really good about the BIG stuff, marriage, kids, school, work, ethics. But fiber puts a real wrench in the works. Not just fiber, but the necessary accouterments that go along with the fiber!

Here is what happened. It was a lovely Saturday morning. The weather station was predicting some pretty bad snow...maybe. Our guild had planned a field trip to visit the Spinner's Flock fiber sale in Chelsea. So, maybe I was not thinking totally reasonably or logically, but regardless of the guild not sponsoring the trip due to weather, I found the other die-hards and joined them for the trip. Going out was fine. Then it started snowing and blowing. But we were inside with the warm fuzzies and trying to be reasonable with our purchases.

We left with our bags of fiber loot and stopped for some lunch. It was snowing a bit more, but did not seem TOO bad. We ate near the Knit-Around in Ann Arbor, and stopped for yet more temptation. I was pretty good. I bought a couple things and stopped. Then I got interested in a couple more things and stopped again. All the while, I was thinking about a knitting bag (yeah, I need another one :-)) that they had. My reasoning senses won and I left the store without it. Even having that one last twinge in the car did not send me back. That night, I barely slept. I thought about the bag and the projects that would fit in it. I thought about making one, I thought about why I did not get it and how proud I was with my decision. Then I thought about the possibility of someone returning to the area and maybe picking it up. My last thought, after pleading on Ravelry for a carrier, was to contact the store. As I write this, I am hoping for a response that will allow me to have it sent out. This IS crazy. I have bags, many. I have cloth to make bags, much. But I really loved THAT bag. Wish me luck, I will let you know what happens!

Yeah for new Tools!

My sweet husband got me a large blocking board for Christmas this year. I could hardly wait to make a sweater to get the chance to use it! No more pinning to towels, the bed, styro boards, etc.... and hoping that the measurements stayed put.

The sweater is in the final moments of sleeves, sewing and collar. The pattern is the Button Cardi in KnitSimple Fall 2008 and only caught my eye when I saw one knit up. This is a real plus with our local yarn shops, seeing and feeling yarn and projects is much different than dreaming about them online! I was worried about the vent in the back being too short, but looked at a sample sweater at The Knitting Room in Birmingham and it is a match. I even did the finishing edge on the back to sample the finished size and look, then ripped it to finish the fronts.

I am really excited to be using this yarn, since I dyed it a couple of years ago at Heritage Spinning and Weaving during a dye play day. The yarn is Brown Sheep Top of the Lamb natural grey. The grey was NOT a good color for me to wear, but a great base to subdue color in dyeing. Each skein was wound end to end for a continuous large skein on her giant skein winder. This helped to prevent pooling of color for a larger garment like a sweater. So far, so good, not a pool in sight and the color is lovely. Now to head out for some great buttons!

What a great Valentine's Day project... one red sweater, almost complete!

KNIT MICHIGAN FUN FOR A GOOD CAUSE!!

Saturday was the annual Knit Michigan cancer fundraising effort in Bloomfield Hills, MI. It is always exciting to see so many knitter's gathered, especially for a good cause. There was an informal fashion show for the public that were not involved as marathoners. The featured knits were inspiring and had many flocking to the sales booths to get started on their own version of what was being modeled. I helped arrange the show, and even got to model. This was good, since the things that I tried on gave me ideas for what I should knit and own! It was equally fun to see the knitted creations being passively modeled by their owners who wore their goods to the event.

My big scores were a wonderful knitting bag for walking and knitting that is bright red and features sushi images and TWO sample sweaters that were auctioned off. These samples were hand knit in Ireland, one is made from Kimono Angora (soooo soft) and the other is Knitting Fever's brown chunky wool with bits of color shot through. Pictures will help and will follow soon.

If you have not attended this event, keep this time of year in mind and check out the website. Go for the day or for a few hours, the vendors, contests and camaraderie make it worth it. And to think that all this fun benefits so many through our support of local cancer treatment and research centers! Yeah Knitters!!!!!