IT HAS BEEN AWHILE

It is funny how time just gets away from you. I sit down on my day off to post and then everything seems to get in the way.

I am working in Knoxville, TN, as I post this. I have been here for 2 months. I am hoping that this is the last month but who knows.

This weekend was the AQS Quilt Show & Contest at the Knoxville Convention Center. The show ran from July 13-16. I went on Saturday, the 16th. Every time I go to one of those shows I come away wanting to quilt. The talent is just amazing.

I did buy some fabric and a CD that I can use in my digital scrapbooking. The CD is entitled Fabric Studio Deluxe. You can create and print fabric at home using your computer. I liked the idea not only for making my own fabric but it will be great for my digital scrapbooking. I thought I had lost it but when I was cleaning out the rental car to take it back....I found the CD between the seat. Am I happy....You Bet!!!

My friend Sue came to visit me here in Knoxville, last month. We went to fabric and yarn stores of course but we also went on a River Cruise. That was fun and I am glad that she found out about it. We took a picture while on the boat, I do not have a scanner so I tried to take a picture of the picture, this is what I got but you get the idea that we had a great time.

I have been knitting and sewing. I made some project bags and two shawls so far. I am working on a KAL of the Miami Vice Shawl , this is a free pattern. I am calling mine South of Miami since the colors are southwest. I am using Wolle's Color Changing Yarn in the colorway Gemstones. No picture yet because I still have the last 11 row repeat to do. This is a very enjoyable knit, especially if you use the ChiaoGoo Red Lace Circular needles. They are very pointy which I found that I never split the fibers of Wolle's yarn. I am enjoying knitting it but mine will not be half the size of some of the ones I have seen. They must have blocked that shawl within an inch of its life to get that size. The shawl takes one mega skein of Wolle's Yarn or 560 yds of worsted weight.

I really love my finished Weekend Shawl, I am calling mine "Bejeweled Weekend Shawl" since I decide to bead the spine parts. I WILL be making another. I used two skeins of Dream in Color Smooshy that I purchased while I was in Chicago at their warehouse sale. There was no color on the skein so I can't tell you the colorway.

The other shawl that I have finished is the Astilbe Shawl. I love this one as well and will be making another one. I used my favorite yarn, Wolle's Coloring Changing Yarn. The colorway is Lake Night. I am calling my shawl "Evening Shade,". I used one 100g ball. I have purchased another ball to make another one, I really love this and plan on taking it on my cruise in September.

Both shawls will need a good blocking when I get home, I did the best I could in a hotel room.

Besides the shawl I am working on a weekend bag to carry in September. I like making a new carryon for my trips. The pattern is by Amy Butler. One picture is a picture of the pattern and the other is the bag completed by the owner of the blog 'Big Bad Wool'. I only hope mine comes out half as nice. If it does, I am making one for my daughter.

That is it for tonight, I will try not taking so long next time.

I AM A SLINGBOX CONVERT

I have always hated that I paid for cable but because of my job I was never home enough to get my monies worth and also hated missing all my favorite shows. I am not a great TV watcher, in fact I do not have any of the movie channels because I found that I never watch movies. I have been toying with the idea of getting a Slingbox for awhile and recently overheard a conversation that the independent adjuster were having about how they loved having Slingbox to watch their home sports, I decided to give it a try.

Slingbox is a way that you can watch your home TV anywhere as long as you have access to the internet. I am now starting my morning listening to my favorite news station while I am getting ready for work. In the evening, I watch my favorite TV shows on my favorite stations like ILife, PBS, History Channel, WETA, etc, while making dinner or knitting. The only problem is that in the evening the wi-fi is not consistent because so many people are on but it still works.

I have realized that I will need to bite the bullet and buy the IPad Slingbox app. My son purchased (don't seem to surprised, I gave him the money :) and set up the system for me. I am happy that he got the Pro HD which was the most expensive but it works with the IPad app. I can see using it when I am home in my sewing room or in bed (I do not have a TV in the bedroom) or when I go to my daughter's and want to see a show. I am coming up with dozens of reasons that I would use the app and pay the $30 for the app. The more I think about it, I will have my son help me set it up this weekend. Yes, I talked myself into it.

Now on to knitting....I did not bring my spinning wheel or loom with me again. I have been knitting the Turkish Bed Socks. I need socks to wear in my work shoes or my walking sandals that do not go up my ankle. In the heat, regular socks get uncomfortable. I saw a sample of the socks in one of my knitting shop stops, purchased the pattern and I am now happy I did so. I used the Patons Kroy Socks yarn in the Clover Colors colorway. I had two balls that I had purchased for something else. I only used one ball, 166 yds, for one pair. Each sock is a different color because of the way the colors were so I am making another pair with the other ball and will see what happens. I do not care that the socks do not match exactly but right now it will look like I would be wearing one green sock and one orange sock. The socks are easy and a really neat construction. I plan on wearing the socks in my work shoes today to see how my plan works out.

Gadget Crawl on the way to The Maryland Sheep and Wool

Yes, I have left New Orleans, was home a week and now I am heading for Knoxville, TN.

Before I tell you what is up with me...enjoy this video if you have not already seen it.

I take vacation every year to go to the Maryland Sheep and Wool. I do not always buy anything but I love going to fondle the fiber and talk to vendors.

On the way home from New Orleans, I decided to stop at a few yarn stores that I have not been to in search of the perfect an unique knitting gadget.

In Alabama, I stopped at In The Making. The shop is in a strip mall but there is not a lot of parking. The shop itself has fabric as well as yarn and patterns. The shop samples had me buying two patterns and a pattern booklet. This is a shop worth stopping at if you are in the Birmingham area. Just look at the shop window.

Another Alabama shop I visited was Serendipity Needleworks in Tuscaloosa. It is also in a strip mall but there is plenty of parking. I did not buy anything since I was only looking for knitting gadgets. The shop is well laid out and the staff friendly. I would stop again if in the area.

Don't you think that this is such an inviting entrance.The shop is brighter than my picture and as you can see, it has lots of yarn but does not feel cluttered.

In Tennessee, I went to The Yarn Haven in Knoxville, TN. This shop is in a strip mall with plenty of parking. I did not find any unique gadget but they did have a nice selection of yarn. They carry handmade project bags that was very cute. However, the pattern that I wanted, had been made for a retreat and they did not have any for sell. I did not need to buy anything anyway.

I also went to Loopville in Knoxville. I stop there everytime I go through the area. I only purchased a magazine this time but now that I will be working there, no telling what I will be coming home with.

There is one shop in Bristol, TN, that you should avoid unless you like JoAnne and Michael's yarn. That is all that they carry. It is called Skeins & Things.

My very favorite shop in my travels this time is in Abingdon, VA, called A Likely Yarn. As soon as I drove up, I knew I would love it. The shop is in a house, the landscaping and front porch or so inviting. The staff, was friendly and very helpful. In fact, there was one that is a true enabler. I left not only with the cutest stitch markers but enough yarn for a project. I will show pictures in my next post when I get further along.

I did make it to the Maryland Sheep and Wool on the Saturday. Had a wonderful time as always. I only spent the money I took with me. Sorry,I did not take pictures of my purchases. I got some bluish silver mohair roving that is going to be so pretty when it is spun up. I never buy kits but this time I did buy a shrug kit that takes a trillion beads, and some yarn for either a shawl or socks. The shrug is suppose to be for our cruise in December, it will look so nice with a slinky black dress. Okay, maybe not slinky but a nice black dress.

My daughter and son-in-law went with me to check on our place in KY. My son-in-law, will take us anywhere we want to go and never complains when we have him turn around because we passed a shop we just had to see.

He loves Makers Mark bourbon so we decided to go to the distillery since it is only about an hour and half from the our place. This is really pretty property and the restaurant on sight has some excellent bourbon pulled pork. After the tour, my son-in-law brought us bottles of Makers Mark that we got to dip to make the distinctive trade mark red cap cover. Mine was not that good. I would never make a bottle dipper.

And I end with this unbelievable knitting feat

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE IN LOUISIANA....

One state that I do not like to work in isLouisiana. I find it very depressive. Right now I am working in the New Orleans area. I am not a drinker and have gone to Bourbon Street a few times in early work assignments so I have no need to go again. If you want to keep me in a happy mood, I have to stay away from plantations.

It looks like every gas station has a casino. That might explain how poor most people seem to be.

On a happier note....

I went to a quilt shop when I first arrived because I love fabric as well as yarn. I brought some fat quarter's to make project bags. Unfortunately, Aunt Nell's Quilt Shop does not have a website. Every one was friendly and very helpful. I could not find Mardi Gras fabric like I did last time but I did find some cute fabric.

I also went to another quilting store when I was moved to the New Orleans area that I will go back to before I go home. The shop is called Mes Amis Quilt Shop . Not only does the shop have the prettiest fabric of any shop I have been in for quite sometime, the staff was beyond nice and helpful. I did pick up Mardi Grasfabric for me to make a project bag for myself an my daughter as well as enough for my friend Sue to make one if she wants to. I also picked up fabric for us to make FE (fish exchange) holders for our cruises. Check out pass post where I explained what an FE was.

I went to an arts and craft festival called the

Southdown Marketplace, I thought that it would be like a fine arts craft festival since it was held at Southdown Plantation House Museum. However, it was more of a anything handmade marketplace. I did purchase some cajun barbeque sauce for my son-in-law and a wreath for my daughter-in-law.

The thing I was impressed with was how the doors were decorated on the houses by the museum.

This has to be a two parter because according to Blogger, it is too large.

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE IN LOUISIANA....part 2

I have been to two yarn stores since I have been in the New Orleans area. One is Needle Arts Studio, Inc. (no website) that had 50% off yarn and of course I brought a sweater worth of Sublime Angora Merino. Yes, yes, I am am on a yarn diet. The shop has more needlepoint than yarn but the staff was nice and helpful.

The other is a up there on my list of great yarn store that has atmosphere, helpful and friendly staff, lots of yarn and what was amazing was the exterior of the shop. It was so inviting. If you are anywhere near Lacombe, LA. you should check out McNeedles .I was told that the house is 120 years old and had been renovated before the current owner had purchased it. It has a porch that goes around two sides with comfy outdoor furniture. I wish it was closer but it is an hour away and you have to cross a 27 mile bridge, so I do not know if I will be going back while I am here.

I just purchased another gadget for my IPad, an IPad clutch. I like it but you can not carry very much, only the essentials. That is all I need for work so I am enjoying it. I purchased it on line from Happy Owl Studios. I purchased the red one I am using the shoulder strap. I have never had a red purse but always wanted one.

What is on and off my needles....

On my needles the Weekend Shawl, by Crafty Diversions. I do not know the colorway because I purchased the yarn at the Dream In Color warehouse sale when I was working in Chicago and there was no label. I do seem to be making a lot of shawls lately and will have to correct that.

Off my needles is Snow Drops & Snap Peas Shawl by Kirsten Kapur. I used Wolle's color changing yarn in the colorway Forest 2. I am calling my shawl "Into the Forest." This was a fun knit and I would suggest it if you like knitting lace.

I also finished the Theodora Shawlette KAL by ThreeBagsFull. I also used Wolle's color changing yarn in the colorway Berries 2. I love the pattern but just kept putting it down so it took me a long time to finish. I would make it again larger because it was fun to knit.

Both shawls still need to be blocked. I enjoyed knitting both an look forward to wearing them.

Good bye for now and Hello from Louisiana

Why Is It Still Winter

My daughter, TeAntae, son-in-law, Bryan, and I went to the American Craft Council (ACC) show at the Baltimore Convention Center. This year was the 35th annual show and ran from February 24-27. There were more than 700 top contemporary craft artists that presented their latest handmade creations including: jewelry, clothing, furniture, green craft, and home decor.

My daughter and I just love to go and get ideas of things we would like to try to make. The place will make your head spin with all the amazing crafts. The artist or fantastic to talk to as well as informative. I wanted to take a class with this Nuno felter but when I checked her website, the class I wanted is at the Penland School in NC and it is full. I am going to just have to play with it.

This year, the show featured cakes that local bakers had made using inspiration from different artist jewelry and pottery. I do not know what the cakes taste like but they were amazing to look at. The jewelry or pottery is in the pictures behind the cakes if you can see them.

I just got back from 4 days in Orlando, FL, attending a meeting. I really did not do very much so I have nothing to report. However, I finished my Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West. I thank Stitchingnut for her interpretation of the Boneyard Shawl. I was so impressed that I decided to give it a try. While in Cloverhill Yarn store in Catonsville, MD, I saw a hat that the colors just drew me in. I purchased enough yarn to make a shawl with no shawl in mind at the time. This is an easy shawl, just stockinette. I decided on the Windblown Leaf border from Nikki Epstein's, Knitting on the Edge.

Several people complimented me on the shawl when I wore it to the meeting.

I am presently working on a KAL shawl and a scarf that I started while I was in Orlando because I had brought the wrong needles for the KAL shawl and forgot the needle for the scarf I was going to start. I was surprised that the Orlando Walmart still had crafts so I was able to pick up a knitting needle.

This year, I am trying to knit from stash. My daughter said it was okay to buy yarn if I am short a ball, but every time I want to buy yarn, I am to put the money toward our vacations. I can do this.