Boxes

It's always a good day when Mr. Canada Post brings a box from Offhand Designs.

Marcella in Sausalito

Zhivago in Saratoga

Nina Clutches

• Attached wristlet strap
• Stands wide open on its own so you can see everything inside easily
• Sleek, secure closure - nothing falls out

• 5.5"H x 8 "Wide opening
• 13.5" wristlet
• 2 interior pockets
• 8" hex frame closure
• Handmade in the San Francisco Bay Area

And then Nick, Mr. Canpar brought in a box with another new book.

More fabulous projects in Noro.

Modular Neck Wrap in Silk Garden

Slip Stitch Cowl in Kureyon

Welted Cowl in Iro

 Tea Cozy in Kureyon

The Intarsia Lace Scarf in Silk Garden Sock. The picture wasn't on my supplier's website so I laid out the book and took a picture with my camera. I really, really like this scarf!!

We are having a lot of snow right now in Ancaster. Wilson Street is backed up. I hope it starts to clear before closing time because I really hate driving in the snow. Comes from driving in it at 16 and not being able to get my car up a hill. I kept sliding and people were passing me and honking. I HATE SNOW! I should take that back because snow always helps to sell yarn. :)

We are good kids

My dad was out tonight so Beth and I took Swiss Chalet over to my parents to have dinner with my mom. It's not too early to start the Christmas sucking up. :) Actually, it started earlier today when mom stopped by the store. She wanted to knit so I gave her some Misti Chunky Handpaint (100% alpaca) and addi needles to make a scarf. I even rolled the skein into a ball for her by hand. I'm a very good daughter.

We're home now and getting ready to watch football. Once my post is done I'm going to get back to some knitting.

I got a bit more done on the Covent Garden scarf today.

I really like it. It almost feels like a silk scarf. It will look great with your black dress coat but I think it will go well with a leather jacket as well. I'm seeing it with a jean jacket too.

We have a new book from Carol Sulcoski. Sock Yarn Studio. Hats, garments and other projects designed for sock yarn.

Knitting socks and knitting with hand-painted yarns are two hot trends. But what are knitters to do with leftover sock yarn? Or when they burn out on knitting socks? Sock Yarn Studio comes to the rescue with a delightful mix of projects--from one-skein hats, mittens, and scarves to multi-skein wraps, sweaters, and more--created with fingering or sport-weight sock yarns. And there's plenty of helpful advice for selecting yarns and knitting smart with tricky hand-paints and self-patterning yarns.

Are you looking for something to do with the sock yarn you have stashed? This book has lots of interesting projects.

Piccadilly and Covent Garden

Mr. Canpar brought in a box this morning with new scarf yarn. This one is really different.

Piccadilly 

30m on a 58 gram skein
100% polyester

And then the sister yarn

Covent Garden

Of course I started a scarf. Not a lot was accomplished but I'm hoping tomorrow. Kim will be working with me again tomorrow. I might sit and knit all day. A person can wish. :)

The yarns are $20 a skein and one skein will make a scarf.

I don't suggest rolling the yarn into a ball but take a paper towel tube and roll the yarn onto it.

Kim and I played with the Jul accessories.

(I straightened this after the picture was taken)

We have new Christmas flags on the front of the store. Yes, I still believe in Santa.

Who is going home on Survivor tonight? Please let it be Abi. Please!!! I have some updating of the website to do and a newsletter to write before I can watch Survivor so I better hit Publish and get to it.

Noro Crochet

We have a new hardcover crochet book in the store. Noro's self striping yarns lend themselves beautifully to crochet.

These have me thinking about getting my hooks out.

Jane worked today and called to tell me that the box arrived from JUL with the closures. I'm going to have fun tomorrow playing.

Late this afternoon I had to run back to One of a Kind. That is a long story that isn't worth telling but I did come home with lots of Christmas gifts. I had to make a trip to the car part way through to unload and then went back in again.

• Mom
• Dad
• Beth
• Jane
• Bev
• John

I've started my Christmas shopping really early this year. It isn't even December yet. :)

Closures

It has been three weeks since I talked about the closures coming from JUL. I went on the USPS website today to track the parcel and it has finally cleared customs. It took almost a week. US Thanksgiving put everything on hold. It doesn't say that they are out for delivery tomorrow so I'm thinking Wednesday. There are a few closures in the box that I didn't show before-buttons. I can't wait. I have a few cardigans in the closet that could use buttons and these are so easy to attach.

The French Curves - we are receiving all these colours in large. In small we have chocolate, chestnut and black coming.

I don't have any knitting to show and no boxes arrived in the store today. This makes for a very short post.

I was sad to see the rockers leave The Amazing Race in last week's episode. They handled it very well. I don't know why people get upset when someone uses the U-Turn on them. It's part of the game. When you are playing for one million dollars you really don't have any friends. Everyone is out for themselves.

Tomorrow is going to be a long day so I'm going to say Goodnight and I promise better for tomorrow.

Scarves

I'm glad that we aren't driving to Detroit today. Going along the 401 in snow isn't a fun thing to do.

Fog isn't fun either. On our way home on Thursday we started passing wind turbines. Some of these were no more than 200 yards off the highway. It was so foggy on our drive last Sunday morning that we didn't even see them.

We learned something else on Thursday. When we got to the border the guard asked us for our hotel invoice. I never keep these. A lot of times I check out on the TV and don't pick up the invoice at the front desk-lesson learned. Always pick it up.

I finished the Frillseeker Twilight scarf last night. Seven stitches makes  for a perfect length scarf.

When I was done I handed it to Beth to feel. She said 'I thought it would feel scratchy because some metallic yarns are but it feels nice and soft'.

Drop City is growing. Every repeat you increase two stitches. The pattern says to do this increasing until 14 repeats are done. Then you are at the half way point. I've reached this but the scarf isn't long enough for my liking. I like them really long. I'm going to keep increasing for at least 3 more repeats. Then you start decreasing two stitches every repeat. The second half will go quicker. :)

It's almost football time. NFL - Beth and I have clinched a playoff spot in fantasy football. We missed the last two years so this is exciting. Then the Grey Cup later this afternoon. I don't really care who wins as long as we get to see a good game.

Somewhere in between this all we need to watch last week's episode of The Amazing Race. Beth forgot to tape it before we left last Sunday morning. I'm blaming it all on her. :)

One of a Kind

Last night Cathy and I were texting and she said something about it snowing out. I told her that it wasn't snowing in Ancaster. Then I let the dogs out. Surprise! The snow was really coming down. Roko and Melo were happy to play in it. Me, not so much.

Tonight Beth and I are going to One of a Kind in Toronto. We need one more piece for our dining room wall. I can already tell this could be expensive. :)

We're home from the show. Thumbs Up! We got a parking spot right at the door. That never happens. It wasn't too busy. Dinner time on Saturday is the best time to go.

We got the last picture for our wall. Here is the wall now.

The last picture is for the far right left. I must be tired when I can't tell the difference between left and right. I didn't get a picture of the new piece before it was wrapped up. It is two tiles across and five down-in a duck egg blue/rust mix of ceramic squares.

Marie-Joel had something new this year. Her ceramic quilts weren't mounted on wood. We decided that these are going to work on the end wall. It will be easy to add more when we go to the spring show.

We let her play. She picked the squares and laid them out for us. This is how they are going to hang.

I also bought a new silk scarf. It is grey, denim, teal and mauve. I love it. I thought about putting it on but it would look finny now that I have changed into my lounging around the house clothes.

It has been a long day so I'm going to put my feet up and knit while watching college football.

New Garments

I'm back in the store going through boxes that came in while I was away. Ann and Lynda both sent boxes filled with new garments.

Ann's box had a cardigan and a scarf.

Pattern: Tie Front Bolero from the Debbie Bliss Angel Prints brochure
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Angel Print

If you don't like self-striping yarn there are solid colours of Angel. Going to a party? There is Angel spiced up with a sprinkle of glitter called Party Angel.

Pattern: Ruched Scarf and Wrap from Churchmouse Yarns
Yarn: 3 balls of Rowan Kid Classic
Needles: 5mm

From Churchmouse

Our ruched scarf, designed by Jennifer Evans, was created to add subtle feminine flourish to the scarf equation (think of it as ruffles with restraint). 

And Lynda's box had more

The detailing in the top is an easy lace pattern.

Pattern: Peasy by Heidi Kirrmaier (pattern purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: Lang Donegal
Needles: 3.5mm

A cropped cardigan with 3/4 sleeves, worked in one piece from the top down, which means you can easily change the length of the sleeves and body as you like. You could also add more buttons if you prefer a closed cardigan. Instructions are given for working the sleeves flat, but they can be worked in the round if you prefer. It would look great in a cotton or linen yarn for summer as well.

The tweed knit up beautifully. It is a thin version of a tweed that Rowan had 20 years ago and was one of my favourite yarns.

Pattern: Adiri Cowl by Julia Trice (pattern purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: one skein of pashmina worsted from madelinetosh
Colour: wellwater

I'm not sure how long this will be in the store. It is so soft-I might need to take it.

Pattern: Churchmouse Linen Stitch Scarf (addendum)
Yarn: 6 balls of Noro Silk Garden - 3 colours - 2 balls each
Needles: 7mm circular

I wasn't sure how a self-striping yarn would work in the Linen Stitch Scarf but I think it looks fabulous.

While I was away Jane and Cathy worked on a few scarves for me. The pictures turned out good for one and really bad for the other so you are going to see one and the other I will show next week.

I hope to finish this one over the weekend but here it is so far.

Yarn: One ball of Frillseeker Twilight
Needles: We are using 4mm but anything between 3.5mm and 5.5mm works.

Many times a yarn with metallic is stiff and can be called 'prickly'. This is very soft and drapey.

Frillseeker Twilight is $7.99 a ball. What a great present for your hair stylist, manicurist, doctor or anyone who you want to give a small Christmas gift to.

What happened to the weather? It has been warm and sunny for the past few days. It was warm this morning and now it is really cold. We had freezing rain an hour ago and now there are very small snow flakes falling. It's time to get out the warm, cozy sweaters!!

More Shopping

Beth and I drove back to Somerset this morning. Cathy and her family come to this mall every fall to do their Christmas shopping. When I told her what we saw in the mall on Monday she commented that we needed to go back. We missed a lot.

I came home with new Ugg slippers from Nordstroms. I wear my Ugg slippers every day. When I wake up they go on my feet until I leave the house. Then they go back on my feet when I return home after work. I wear them out from wearing them so much. Beth saw these before I did and said that they had my name written all over them.

Purple plaid. I don't need to say anything else.

I also came home with a new scarf. It is a cashmere and silk blend. I bought one a few years ago and love it. It's the winter of scarves for me. Yes I can knit a scarf but I can only knit so fast. :) And this one is so pretty.

There were many, many parents bringing their kids to the mall to have pictures taken with Santa. This is his house.

I love going to Restoration Hardware. They are set for Christmas with lots of gift ideas as you walk in the door. The one section we looked at was Luxe Faux Fur. I made Beth put this hat on for a picture. She thought I was just joking about posting here.

She had her sunglasses so she put them on top of the hat. I don't want you to think that there is something funny about the hat because it was great. I offered to buy it for her but she said she would never wear it. I think she might regret that decision when the snow and cold hit.

Here is a picture of all the colours from the Restoration Hardware website.

I have a hot water bottle in dark brown. I'm not sure I really need a hot water bottle but I have one now if/when the need arises.

Beth and I are taking a break in the room to watch Survivor and X Factor. Abi is something else. I would be voting her butt off tonight. She is a witch!!

We decided that we aren't going to the football game tomorrow. Beth has a lot of work waiting at home so we're leaving in the morning. That way she can get started tomorrow afternoon. I will be watching the football games and packing yarn to ship out.

In case I get wrapped up in my work, football or a nap, I'm writing tomorrow's post today.

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends south of the border.