I cast on the felted Button Hole bag from the Mason-Dixon Knitting Blog on my brandy-new size 15 Addi Turbos this morning. This was after I divided up each skein of my Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride worsted weight in the vibrant colors of purple, yellow and lime green into 2 equal balls for each skein so that I could knit this project with 2 strands of the same color yarn. By the time this was done I was quite eager to get on with the knitting show, if you know what I mean. Well . . .I knew I would like Addi Turbos. I knew they would be exceptionally smooth and slick and super-fast. I knew I would feel oh-so-special when I used them. Here’s what I didn’t know: that I would want to immediately replace every circular needle I own with an Addi Turbo! Geez-oh-man but these needles are amazing!!
I restrained myself (slightly) and only ordered 3 new addis from Knit Witts. I need these to start the felted bag from Fiber Trends and also to knit any future booga bags. Good-bye, forever, Clover Bamboo Circulars with the sticky spot where the join is. To quote a line from one of my favorite movies, this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

News on the knitting front . . . Friday I went yarn shopping! I needed another skein of Cascade 220 to finish the clapotis so I called my friend Sharon D. and we headed to The Wool Patch in Middleboro. Sharon hadn’t been there yet and I think she enjoyed the shop. I got my skein of cascade and also some Lamb’s Pride Bulky to make a felted “button hole” bag. There is an “unpattern” for this on the Mason-Dixon Knitting Blog and it looks like fun. Plus, I really like felted projects and haven’t done one since I got burned out on Booga Bags last Christmas. I also picked up an Addi Turbo size 15. Seems like knitters everywhere rave about these needles, it’s time to see if the price is worth the hype!
Sharon, meanwhile, is learning to knit socks on 2 circs. Not something I can help her with and as I am fan of double-pointed needles myself. So we left Middleboro and headed to Hanson to the yarn shop where she took her sock lessons for a refresher course in picking up gusset stitches. Of course while Sharon learned, Carole shopped. I got some Noro Kureyon to make . . . another Booga Bag! More felting = more fun. I also got a needle for needle felting, something I would like to try but really know nothing about. Not that knowing nothing about something has ever slowed me down before. This was all in the middle of a snow storm but that didn’t slow down the determined knitters/shoppers!
Yesterday morning I finished the clapotis. Waaa Hooo! I went out last night with some friends from work and really wanted to wear it but I chickened out. I’m sure I’ll work up the courage at some point but that French attitude isn’t something I’m real good at adopting. But I love the way it looks and the colors are vibrant and I spent many many hours on the thing so I am going to wear it.
As soon as the clappy was finished I cast on for the Booga Bag. This is a gift (can’t say for as who she reads my blog. Ah ha – now you’re all wondering, could it be me?!?!?) and it’s a short clock so I’m anxious to get it done. I hate deadlines but I don’t think it will be a problem to have this finished in time. Especially since I really got a lot done yesterday, all while watching women’s college basketball. It was snowing and the woodstove was warm and it made for a very pleasant afternoon.
Speaking of warm woodstoves, I believe I’ll head there right now and pick up the booga bag!
Knit (and felt) On!

Okay, I have shopping AND a finished object to report. I went to The Wool Patch on Friday and picked up the yarn I needed to finish the Alien Illusion Scarf. I managed to finish it on Sunday morning. I blocked it and added the fringe and my husband wore it to Boston on Monday. It looked terrific with his new wool coat but I think he was disappointed that no on spied his aliens!
While at the Wool Patch I asked Miriam what she had that was new and she showed me some awesome Cascade 220 Quatro in variegated colors. I bought 3 skeins of a green/black/blue combination to make the Clapotis from knitty.

Saturday I headed out to Sturbridge with my daughter, Hannah and my friends Wendy and Sarah. We went to Wrights Trim Factory where I bought a bit of trim and fabric for a new Civil War day dress. We had a terrific lunch at Soup to Nuts Cafe and then went to Knit Witts yarn shop in Brookfield. It was sure out in the boonies but not hard to find and the owner was very friendly. I bought some Koigu KPPM and some other handpainted sock yarn and can’t wait to start those socks! From there we traveled back to Uxbridge and hit the Yarn Shop. I didn’t buy anything but she does have some beautiful novelty yarns. Not really my thing these days but I know a lot of new knitters like it. She is moving up the street to a bigger shop and I’m hoping when she has more space that she will expand her line of wools and sock yarns.

We went to watch the 25th MVI finish their drill camp and while waiting for my husband I finished sock #1 of the blue worsted weight pair I started for him. I immediately cast on for sock #2 (it’s the best way I know to avoid SSS [second sock syndrome]) and have finished the cuff and am working on the leg.
Sunday I was able to start the clapotis and it’s fun. Definitely a pattern to pay attention to at first but once you get the pattern in your head it’s not hard at all. I look forward to working on this one!

I started a fingerless mitt in black out of Brown Sheep Nature Spun but it’s too small and I will have to rework it so it’s bigger. But since I love the pair I made with the leftover Classic Elite Bazic I think it will be great to have black ones to go with my red coat.

Picture of all this great stuff – finished objects, new yarn, etc. coming soon!

The finished Windy City Scarf and Mitts!

Let’s see what’s new in the world of knitting. Hmmm. Not much! Wed. night I took Dale’s socks with me to a meeting we had to attend about a Civil War event we’re coordinating. The women were curious about what I was knitting, one asked if I was knitting mittens. I haven’t done too much public knitting and I’m not always completely comfortable with it, but it does help pass the time! I wouldn’t ever want to appear rude or distracted so I try and stay focused on what’s going on. I guess I’m okay with knitting at meetings when I’m a “spectator” but not when I’m a “participant.” I wouldn’t knit at a library network meeting or something work related but I don’t have a problem knitting at Town Meeting or something where I’m not an actual part of the process.

Left the meeting and went to Hungry Quilters where I knitted instead of quilted. It’s just so much more portable than lugging around the stinking sewing machine! I hope my fellow quilters don’t kick me out of quilting for lack of participation in actual quilting!

I’m up to alien head #4 on the scarf and the socks are almost to the heel flap. I think I’ll get going on the socks this morning and try and get them past the flap and turning of the heel. I have a hair appointment today and want to take that project with me but don’t want to have to concentrate on the heel while in the salon.

I also put some books on blogging on reserve at the library. I want to add more stuff in the sidebar of this one but I’m pretty shaky on html. These books should be helpful.

Okay, I’m up to date here.