Back to an old project

I am sitting at my kitchen counter working on Beth's laptop. The network in our house is working great!! Big Brother is on right now. Dick just laid into Jen-hysterical.

I have picked up the Asymmetrical jacket again. Here is a picture for those of you who don't know what I am talking about. The neck shaping has been started on the second piece. The body should be done this week and then I can start the sleeves.

Beth brought home a couple of bags of Yosemite for me to knit a throw for the living room. The picture doesn't do the colour justice but it looks great in the room.

Kelley-thanks for the martini glasses. They have been getting a workout!!

Migraines

My blog is worth $8,468.10.
How much is your blog worth?

If my blog keeps going up in value I might be able to afford the flooring that I want in the townhouse. The home show is on in Toronto so I am thinking of going tomorrow. That could be expensive!!

Yesterday I had lots of visitors in the store. Sarah came in the morning with her two daughters. Maggie and I talked about the merits of Montessori school (Maggie is three years old!!) Later in the day a very pregnant Kristin came in with her mom and daughter Clarabel. Clarabel knows the routine. She runs in the front room and I get the toys out for her. Then she goes and shops for buttons. Kristin-I hope the baby comes soon!!

My Thursday night class met last night. I had a migraine and relaxed upstairs while they knit.

I have suffered from migraines since I was eight and until Imitrex there was no drug that helped me. One thing that makes me feel better is Salt and Vinegar Chips (Miss Vickie's is the best) and a can of ginger ale (only Canada Dry). Sounds weird but got me through university. The weather is a real trigger for me and we are having great weather right now.

I am busy getting things ready for the Knitter's Frolic. Blue Sky Alpacas is sending a trunk show so we will have lots of great garments to display. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Offhand Design bags will be here by then. There is a shipment from Mountain Colors on the way so we might have a great selection of Bearfoot there as well.

I got a bit of knitting done in the store today between straightening shelves. I left the Kimono Jacket upstairs so I worked on the Asymmetrical Jacket. I have finished 40 rows and need to get to 65 before I start the neck shaping.

Progress on Asymmetrical Jacket

I am trying something new today. I am going to write the whole post and then add in picture, hoping this will help with the layout and how it changes from double to single spacing on its own. Being a perfectionist, this really bothers me.

It was a weird day in the store today-some of the phone calls were unbelievable. A lady bought yarn somewhere else and they didn't have the needles that she needed-15mm 80cm circular. When I told here that I didn't have them either (not a big seller) she got really mad-I am a yarn shop and should have them in stock. She wanted me to special order them for her. My response

was that she should go back where she bought the yarn and demand that they special order them for her. Another lady called to ask if we carried cross-stitch. When I told her that we didn't she swore at me.

I have finished the first half of the Asymmetrical Jacket. Here are views from the front, back and side. I am already 20 rows into the second half. The first bit goes fast, not as many stitches on the needle.

I am getting ready for knitting class. Lise is supposed to be bringing shortbread cookies tonight. Actually she had them made for last week but the class was cancelled with the bad weather. Her husband was very happy when I called. Hopefully she made a new batch!!! I have to get the class out the door before 9. This way I can watch CSI and then get Survivor at 11 on a west coast channel.

Beth read somewhere that the people on Survivor this year didn't apply for the show-the producers went out and recruited people that they wanted on the show. We have been watching reruns of the old Survivors and it was much better in the beginning when we had people in all shapes and ages. The new people who are all 'pretty' can get boring.

I forgot to add a title to the post so am editing it. Obviously adding the pictures at the end didn't work. Maybe I have to do them first. Any suggestions?

New Yarn and Knitting Progress

Two posts in one day. Are you happy now Mom?

I unpacked boxes and put away yarn this morning. In the box were new colours of On Line Solo-the yarn that I used for the Ruffles Scarf. I mentioned a new yarn from Elsebeth Lavold in this morning's post-guess what-it wasn't in the box. Maybe it will arrive next week.

This afternoon I took some time to work on the Asymmetrical Jacket. I have eight rows left until I can cast off the first half. Unfortunately there are close to 400 stitches on the needle so one row takes forever.

I am missing knitting guild tonight. Because of the snow a couple of weeks ago, the first class of my Lattice Bag was cancelled so I am teaching tonight to get them caught back up.

A brainstorm hit

Yesterday afternoon it suddenly hit me. If I pin my cardigan on a mannequin, you will be able to see it better. The cast on edge is under the arm and I am working towards the neck. Two pieces are knit and sewn together up the back to join. I accomplished more today but didn't get a picture. Unfortunately, the number of stitches increases every row by 2 so it is taking longer to get a row knit.

This box arrived from Jordana Paige yesterday. She asked me to fill out a survey about how I market her bags in the store. For doing this, she sent me a Knitter's Satchel. I have decided to have a draw for a customer to win the bag. The draw will run from now until the end of March. For every purchase over $100, in the store or online, you will receive one entry into the draw.

I unpacked more yarn again today. The spring Louisa Harding has arrived. This sweater can be found in her Swallowtail magazine. Her designs are always different than what we are seeing from other companies. They are classic but modern and can be worn dressy or casual.

Gotta run, my chef has dinner ready.

I've been tardy on my posting

Here is some of my latest knitting. I started the Asymmetrical jacket from Trendsetter. The yarn came today and I couldn't resist. You cast on and work from the armhole towards the middle of the back/front and then do another piece the same. It is hard to show in a picture but I have been a bad blogger and wanted to add some colour to my post.

This is a close up of how the yarns are striping.

I also started the second front of my Kimono Jacket. The squares on this front are 1/2 the size of the other front.

Back to Sunday. First the Daytona 500-great finish!! Jeff Gordon did crash at the end, he wasn't hurt and I was happy.

Then the start of Amazing Race All Stars. I think that it is Rob and Amber's race to lose. How can some of these people be doing this for the second time and still mess it up?

Then Apprentice. It is tough to pick a winner. There are some strong people in the game.

Monday was very uneventful. I had the day off which means running around. I met with my financial advisor to do my RSPs.

Tuesday I worked and my Lattice Bag class started. The ladies got started on the bottom of their bags. They all picked very different colours so the finished bags will be interesting to see. I am going to felt my bag over the weekend.

Today I worked. Got some knitting done and am getting ready to teach class. I got a surprise in the mail today. Berroco has added new colours to the Ultra Alpaca range-heather colours. I ordered some of them and hope to have them in 3 weeks. The shade card isn't on their site yet hopefully soon.

The remaining Rowan magazines that haven't arrived yet should be in the store by the weekend-I am holding my fingers. These are the magazines for Bamboo Tape, Summer Tweed and the RYC magazines. The new yarns as well as new colours of the existing yarns should be in the box as well.

The new yarns and magazines from Nashua left the US today so they might be here by the weekend as well.

Friday morning

I really didn't want to get out of bed this morning but had to-getting a massage this morning!! Now that the store is opening at noon on Fridays I can do a lot of things that I couldn't do before.

With the store being closed on Tuesday and Wednesday I got quite a bit of knitting done. One front is almost complete on the Kimono Jacket. I need to hurry up and finish it because a new Trendsetter pattern will be arriving next week that I really, really need. It uses Dune and Tonalita. My problem will be deciding the colour.

Gotta run now-the spa calls.