Almost Maryland time!!

 Friday I leave for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I am excited but I have been sick for a week. I have a bad cough that gives me a headache and bad coughing fits. I have a slight rattle that doesn't want to go away. My voice is weird and I don't have much energy. I need all my energy for this weekend! I am starting to get worried. It's a viral thing that lots of time will heal. I don't have time, I need this gone now! 

I have a list of what I want to buy. Cashmere is at the top. Most likely 2 skeins. I plan to knit a scarf with one skein. Lots of wool from various breeds of sheep. British yarns are on the top of my list to. Plus other things like maybe a new set of interchangeable needles and a new ball winder. 

The weather looks like rain on Saturday. I  keep reading how muddy the fairgrounds are. Really hoping for dry weather. I am also treating myself to a seafood dinner. Here is the link to where I am going: 

http://www.captaindanscrabhouse.com/seafood-restaurant-menu-maryland-md.php

This place is only 10 minutes from the fairgrounds so I will go there right from the festival. I want to leave the house and get to the hotel around 3:00pm. Check in, settle in then settle in to knit. I'll have a leisurely frozen dinner that is brought from home and a dessert. Watch a little tv but spend the late afternoon and evening knitting and listening to knitting podcasts on my iPod. I specifically got a room with a microwave, fridge and comfy chair. Go to bed between 9-10pm and try try try to sleep before getting up early to make a 30 minute trek to the fairgrounds. 

The shopping starts at 9am. This place is big so I hope to scout out stuff and organize my plan of attack before hand as I wait for vendors to open. I hope to see sheep dog trials. Sheep sheering as well. I also plan to pet many sheep and maybe some other animals like angora bunnies or goats or alpacas and dogs that work the sheep.

And doing this all alone!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. I will try to remember to take pictures and video so you can get a feel for it. 

My knitting has been slow. I've been knitting on two things, a hat for a toddler, and a scarf/cowl for me. Here's a picture: 

http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/uploads/booniesangel/225315580/IMG_3837a_medium.jpg

That should do it for now. 

Finally!!!!

This hat is really trying my patience. It's a hat I'm knitting for my unborn niece. I know how to rib-or I thought I did. I have ripped out the brim, never more than 1/2 inch long 8-10 times !!!! I tried everything, magic loop, I bought a hat needle, tried two needles. I finally decided to knit on straight needles. But I gave away all my needles. But I remembered that you can knit straight on a circular needle. I decided to do that as a last resort. I will have to seam up the brim but I can handle that. This almost 1-1/2 inch piece in the picture has taken me a week!  Can you believe it?! 

I think I finally have it beat. Putting in life lines every few rows really helps my sanity and I am far enough along that I don't have to rip it all out and cast on 84 stitches again. I'll keep you posted.

Hi

I haven't posted in awhile. I went to the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival. It was in a large ballroom with many many vendors. They had the Olympic sweaters on display! I got some pictures.

 I finally broke my year long yarn diet. But this was just an appetizer. I plan to go full pig out mode in May when I go to Maryland. I can't seem to stop collecting Packer yarn when I find it. The purple yarn is for two baby hats and two sets of baby socks for two different babies. I spent a pretty penny on this yarn so I hope they like it even if they don't appreciate what went into them. 

The yarn is much more tonal that the picture shows. You can see a better picture below. The gray yarn is from a breed called Jacob sheep. Slightly rustic. The red yarn is 50/50 merino and angora. The brown yarn is 25% cashmere 25% angora and 50% merino. 

I plan to start the first baby hat on Sunday. I am practicing a pattern for baby socks with this stupid acrylic that I bought. I'm not sure if the socks will look like socks when I am done. It requires some seaming. I make a point when I go to these festivals to try and buy yarn that you can't buy or easily buy in your local yarn store. I found out the red yarn is discontinued. 

More next time!  Bye!

Wool socks

Yesterday I bought myself a pair of 80% wool socks at LL Bean. I really want to knit myself a pair I can wear. How are these socks? They are slightly rough to the hand but not the foot. They remind me of the wool I am knitting my black shawl out of. They are thinner than I expected. I am surprised they are not ovens but they do a good job regulating your foot temperature. I wore them to bed and my feet didn't overheat.

They feel a bit sweaty right now. Maybe it's time to take them off. I have to hand wash them or they will felt and shrink. I have heard soooo much about wool socks I had to try some. It's on my knitting list this year to complete a pair I can proudly wear. So far I am quite impressed and it makes me look forward to knitting a pair. 

Projects for the new year

Now that the 1,000 pound hat on my shoulders is done I feel so light!  I am going to focus on working on my wips (works in projects). I'm currently working on my black shawl. I want to finish this fourth skein before I buy the last four to finish this. It is wider at the top but I can't stretch it out fully because stitches would fall off the needles.

Other projects I plan to work on is a scarf, my blue Rowan shawl, a poncho, and two more shawlettes. Plus I have to fix Grace's stocking. I have a calendar app that I have scheduled a week for each project. 

Once March comes this grand plan may fall apart as I will be going to the Pittsburgh knit and crochet show. Then in may I will go to maryland sheep and Wool Festival. It is the second largest show next to the New York sheep and Wool festival (aka rhinebeck). I fully intend  to run wild and buy a bunch of yarn. I can't wait!!!!!!!!

The hat is done!

2013 knitting completions