Sports Celebrity Dinner

My dad will be going to Honduras again in December for another mission trip. To raise money for the people in Honduras the group holds a Sports Celebrity Dinner which we attended last night. There is a silent auction before dinner and following dinner there is an auction plus guest speaker. This year the speaker was Jesse Barfield. Remember back to the '80s Toronto Blue Jays and you will find Jesse roaming right field. Other guests at the dinner were Damon Allen (QB for the Toronto Argos), Perdita Felician (Canadian track start) plus members of the Toronto Argos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and former Toronto Maple Leafs.

Members of my family (sister, father, my dad's cousin) as well as friends got into the spirit of the auction. Beth won the auction for an autographed Damon Allen shirt as well as a football autographed by the whole Argos team. She also won the auction for the Jesse Barfield signed shirt and bat. My name is on the shirt and hers is on the bat. I can't list everything dad got at the silent auction but lets say the people in Honduras will benefit greatly.

Both Jesse and Damon are amazing people who took the time to talk with anyone who approached them. They stayed right until the end, leaving after almost everyone else had left.

We rushed out of there to catch Survivor at 11 from the west coast. More twists in the game. The new tribes are going to be interesting. Why do they have to make alliances so early? This usually blows up in their faces later on. Haven't they watched previous seasons to know this?

I am making progress with my knitting. Partway down the sleeve-I hope the store is slow today so I can finish by tonight!!

Very busy Sunday

Yesterday was spent sitting, knitting and watching tv. The Ryder Cup started at 7am. It finished just in time for Nascar and football. The evening finished with the Amazing Race and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

The Ryder Cup was amazing. I am happy any time that Tiger loses. Football wasn't so great. We are probably going to lose this week at Fantasy Football. I hate losing!!!

As always, there are some real idiots on The Amazing Race. Do you really think it works to yell at your girl friend? Is it going to make her move faster?

We missed the first week of Studio 60 but it didn't affect us knowing what was going on in the show. I would suggest watching the show-it kept me interested for 60 minutes and I can get bored easily.

Here is Color on the Side. I am over 1/2 way done. The first picture shows the colours very well. The darker picture is the sleeve and front, the back is done and lying behind the front. I am now working on the other side and will be working down the sleeve by tonight.

Another good night of tv. Vanished is a must see show. Then the season premier of CSI:Miami. I didn't watch this at the beginning (not a fan of David Carruso) but am now totally into the show. It helps that there are reruns on all the time!!

The store is almost back in order which means that I have to start moving things around again. We just received our fall shipment of Louisa Harding yarns. She has 4 new books and 2 new yarns. The Noro also arrived. Well, the books came and a few new colours. There is a new yarn called Silk Mountain. There are great patterns but unfortunately only one colour arrived.

Off to knit. I want to get the jacket done so that I can start something for myself. This is the cover sweater (mine will be a touch longer though) from the new Jane Ellison book Noro Unlimited. Jane will be in the store on Wednesday October 25 doing a workshop and it would be nice to be wearing one of her designs . You can read more about Jane on her website.

Also, before I go-Happy Birthday Wannietta!!!

Color on the side

I have most of the store in order so I sat and knit today. I really want to get this jacket done. I think it will take 13 balls and I am on ball #4. I used the provisional cast on when adding the body stitches. When done I can put the stitches back on a needle and do a 3 needle bind off for the side seams-much easier.

The colours are a bit brighter in person than they show here.

There is still no sign of my Expedition. Ford is now searching for it. How do you lose an SUV? I have decided that I am giving them until a week Monday. If it isn't here by then I am going to pick a different vehicle (not from Ford).

New project

I needed easy knitting while away at the retreat so I started a new project. Fiber Trends has a new pattern FT-459 called Color on the Side. I am using Naturally Vero Tweeds in a great navy, purple, green, magenta colour (#1). I am finished the sleeve and about to cast on for the body. Hopefully there will be pictures tomorrow.

You start with a provisional cast on so that both sleeve cuffs are cast off. I always mess up my provisional cast on so I searched the web for an easier way. Check out the Knitting at KNoon website to see a video.

I spent last night lining up instructors for next year's retreat. Sally Melville will be joining us. With her great knitting books and amazing workshops she will compliment Barry Klein's project classes.

Back from a wild and crazy weekend

The knitting retreat was amazing. I believe everyone had a good time in their classes and Barry from Trendsetter has agreed to come back next year. Next year will be our 10th weekend and we already have some great things planned.

I have lots of pictures for you. A few other people took pictures (Patrick and Norma) and I am hoping they will email me some of them.

This is one of Barry's classes. They are doing a class called 'Diamonds are a girls best friend' where they are knitting a cute evening purse. The ladies are sitting quietly knitting.



Some of the ladies are lucky enough to have cabins to stay in. These cabins overlook the lake.


This is the lake. Beth decided to take a break and read outside in the beautiful weather. For the last 8 years it has rained on the Friday of the weekend but this year we lucked out with amazing weather.

This is during the student fashion show on Saturday night. Loretta knit an amazing coat from last winter's Vogue magazine.


This is Cindy's husband Ed in the same coat. We decided he needed a purple fedora and a big white cadillac and he would be all set.


This is Monica. Beth decided that the ladies needed to do a scavenger hunt. Monica took it very seriously and got everything on the list. The ladies who work at Bayview-Wildwood get involved in the scavenger hunt as well helping to find the hard objects. They have requested something challenging for next year.

I am off to unload the van. I can't wait to have it out of my driveway. The Expedition is still missing-I am hoping Mark will call me this afternoon and give me the good news that it has arrived.

As ready as I will ever be

Cathy, Jane and I have finished packing for the weekend. There are 2 mini-vans full of yarn and finished sweaters. Every time I turn around there is something else that needs to be packed.

The ladies are going to be surprised that there will be close to 70 finished garments for them to see-most are brand new for this season.

Barry flew in from LA last night and we had a great dinner out talking about life and the knitting industry. We are heading back to Toronto soon for dinner again with Bev G.

Have a great weekend. We will be having fun knitting by the lake.

Finally some pictures

Dylan-all done. Beth wanted to wear it at the Knitter's Fair but I wouldn't let her.

I went to the Canadian Open with my dad on Thursday and then again yesterday afternoon. It was nice to sit in the grass, relax and watch some great golf.

The Knitter's Fair was crazy busy. During the day over 1800 people went through the show. It is always a great day to see people that you haven't seen in a while. It is always interesting to see what sells. I think that something will be a hit and it doesn't move and then something else sells out.

We got the vans unloaded yesterday and this morning and are now repacking boxes for the Gone Stitchin' Weekend. The store is so full that customers can barely get in the door.

My Expedition still hasn't arrived. The dealership was going to rent me an Expedition to drive for the next week. Beth and I went to Enterprise to pick it up and they didn't have an Expedition but there was an Explorer for me. Unfortunately it isn't big enough to cart all my stuff up to the weekend so I had to switch to a Freestar. Trust me, I am not happy. If I wanted to drive a Freestar I would have bought one.

Barry from Trendsetter is coming to teach at our weekend and is arriving tomorrow night. We are having dinner with him to celebrate his birthday. Then, Bev Galeskas from Fiber Trends arrives from Seattle on Wednesday so another trip back to Toronto for dinner again. Enterprise isn't going to be happy with how many km are going on the vehicle this week.

Not sure that there will be another post until after the weekend. The next couple of days are crazy making up kits, packing boxes and making sure that I have everything for the fashion show.

Dylan Update

The knitting is all done. The shoulders are sewn and the neck is completed. Sleeves are in and one sleeve seam is done. Hopefully it will be completed tomorrow and I will have pictures.

Today was a very frustrating day. My Expedition still hasn't arrived. It was supposed to be Tuesday and I WANT IT NOW!! Suppliers were sending finished garments for the Knitters Fair but we are having shipping problems. One shipment won't be here in time. Another shipment is being held at customs for taxes and duties. I have orders that I am waiting on so that I can make kits. They are missing in transit-maybe tomorrow. For those of you who believe in this-tomorrow is a full moon which totally explains my day.

Tomorrow I hope to skip out of work for a bit to go to the Canadian Open. This year it is being held at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club which is actually in Ancaster around the corner from the store. Beth picked up Swiss Chalet last night and Mike Weir was in line in front of her. She got his autograph on her Swiss Chalet receipt.

Did anyone catch Big Brother last night? Can't believe they finally smartened up and voted off Will. It is going to be interesting who wins.

Busy Long Weekend

I finished casting off the last sleeve for Dylan last night. I hope to start sewing together this afternoon.

Yesterday was our football draft for Fantasy Football. Beth was golfing so I had to do it on my own. Very nerve racking. My first solo draft and I didn't want to look stupid in front of the guys. I think we have a good team but time will tell.

Last night I went to the Tiger Cat game with my dad. He suggested it Sunday afternoon and my initial response was no. The team is awful and why put ourselves through it but he had a gut feeling that the game would be good!! The game wasn't good and we had to promise him that the next time he decides it would ge a good idea to go we remind him of last night.

Cathy, Jane and I are working this week to get all the kits made for the Knitters Fair. If you come to the Fair, please drop by the booth and say hello.