Twenty Three Sleeps

What a yucky day outside. Rain. Dark. Cool. I am wearing a coat that Lynda knit for me in Rowan Renew along with the Suri and Silk Scarf (the beautiful pink scarf that we had on display at the Fleece Festival). The scarf is really soft. I'm not sure I will ever take it off!

Monday afternoon Beth spent some time online. We decided to take a few days and go away. The first thought was Myrtle Beach but we couldn't get a direct flight. Then we thought Vegas. There are direct flights from Hamilton now but you leave Friday afternoon and leave Vegas early Monday morning. Not much time there. Then she looked at Foxwoods but flights to Connecticut were huge dollars. Okay, where to go. Why not go across the border to Seneca? We could play and go shopping at the outlet mall. The prices were amazing. Some nights $2900. Some nights $1100. Are you kidding me? We just want to sleep in the room, not buy it. We decided to go to Vegas on the flight out of Hamilton. I called the Mirage to book our hotel room. Friday night FREE. Saturday night FREE. Sunday night $52. Can't beat those rates. Just before we booked the flight on Westjet I went onto Aeroplan. We ended up with a flight Friday morning (getting into Vegas at 10:30) and coming home Tuesday afternoon. This gives us two extra days. Now a call back to the Mirage. The Monday night we were adding on was very expensive. $48. Wow!! Jane and Cathy are holding down the fort when I leave in 23 sleeps.

When I got home last night I went upstairs to get through the end of Kidnapped. I watched episodes 7-11 and there are just two to go tonight. A lot of knitting accomplished.

Obviously I didn't look at my friend before I took the picture. Her shirt is all puckered. I'm back inside (and so is she) so we are going with this picture for today.

I'm getting to the good colours in the scarf-reds and oranges.

Diana dropped by last night with the latest lace project. Another very soft scarf. Diana said that the yarn blocked out beautifully.

Pattern: Butternut Scarf from Knitspot
Yarn: Naturally Lace
60% merino
40% dehaired angora

I don't normally put prices in my blog posts but this yarn is a great price. $7.99 for 227m (248yards).

The pattern calls for a ball and a half but I had Diana knit both balls for a longer scarf.

I have sent an email to my friend Oliver who manages Naturally in New Zealand to get an explanation of dehaired angora. I think I know what it is but I want to give you the proper explanation. If he gets back to me today then I will add it, otherwise it will be in tomorrow's post. Oliver's head is still in the clouds. He is a huge All Blacks fan and them winning the Rugby World Cup is like the Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup. :) Well, not exactly like the Maple Leafs because the All Blacks won it all in 1987.

Oliver just emailed me

Dehaired Angora... Most Angora blend yarns have long, coarser  fibres that stick out from the yarn (like our Sensation did). These are called guard hairs and are the ones that shed usually when you are knitting. Dehaired Angora means these guard hairs are removed leaving the shorter softer fibres that are blended into the yarn...giving the lovely soft handle of Angora but no shedding.

That's what I though. Nice soft yarn but no hairs flying around.

I'm home now, eating dinner quickly and getting the last two episodes of Kidnapped in before Survivor. More knitting. Who can complain about that?