Golfing

Beth made a new friend at the hockey game last night. His name is Chance and he is a Gila monster. The NHL Fights Cancer jerseys are purple and Beth bought me one at the game. Of course I need a purple jersey. We both had our jerseys on for the walk back to our hotel. People kept stopping us to see who won the game.

This morning we went to Top Golf.

We had a great time. You rent out a bay and up to 6 people can play. Some people brought their own clubs but we used the clubs they provided. There are different games you can choose. The balls have chips in them and you get a score if you go in a target. Each target has different scores.

The screen shows you details about your shot. There is also a TV screen - we had football on. If you are a golfer and travel to the US I would recommend looking to see if there is a Top Golf. You will have a lot of fun. 

We wandered around for a while and came back to the room to watch The Grey Cup. For some reason it isn’t on in the room so we’re heading down to the bar to watch - I’m brining my knitting with me :) Hopefully I’ll get enough rows knit for good pictures tomorrow. We leave at midnight tomorrow night so I’ll try and post before heading to the airport.

Christmas hits Vegas

It’s 2:30 in Vegas and we’ve already walked over 10km today. Vegas is getting ready for Christmas. This amazing tree was at the LINQ Promenade. 

The Louis Vuitton window in Crystals.

The Bellagio.

The Conservatory will be closed on Monday for the Christmas display to go up. It is still decorated for fall.

No matter how many times you’ve seen it you still have to stop and take pictures.

The fountains were dancing to Viva Las Vegas.

I did a few more rows before bed last night. Our hotel room doesn’t have the best lighting but I think this shows how great the colours are coming out. I’m going to do a few more rows now - Beth and I are in the room resting. It was another early morning and we are heading to the arena tonight to see the Knights play again. San Jose is in town.

I’m posting now because last night I barely got my post finished in time. Today I will be early.

Black Friday

We were awake at 5am so we got moving, had breakfast and hit the mall. Most stores opened at 6am.

It was our first Black Friday experience. Dillard’s didn’t open until 8am. When we got to that end of the mall there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. We went into another store and when we got out Dillard’s was open. We stopped in shoes (I didn’t get any) and the people working were commenting on the ladies running down the aisles when the store opened. Purses were on sale for good deals. We went to that section to see. Women were walking around with 6-15 purses on their arms. I haven’t seen anything like it before. Whole displays were empty.

The Apple store had 50 people in line waiting to get in. There were a few other stores where people had to wait in line until shoppers left. As many of you know I’m not a patient person. I’m not sure I could wait in line to get into a store.


It was a beautiful day in Vegas. The sun was shining. It was about 17C. 

We were on the balcony of the arena watching the crowds below.

They are getting the Park ready for Christmas. Decorations are starting to go up. Imagine trying to decorate this tree.

We had a great time at the hockey game. Vegas won which made it better. 

I didn’t get to my knitting today but here is some knitting content.

Ambah’s ADVENTurer Scarf and Wrap pattern is now available on Ravelry.

Beth has a big day planned for tomorrow so it’s bed time!

Night shift

I was able to knit a lot today. Our flight was at 10:30. We were up at 5 and at dad’s by 6:45. He is looking after Roko while we are in Vegas. The drive to the airport wasn’t fast but it could have been a lot slower. Check in, security and customs went pretty quick. Our flight was over an hour late leaving. I was happily knitting but I would have liked to have been in the air. There was a problem with the plane’s computer so parts had to be changed. I’m all good with the wait. I knit the whole way and really like how Nightshift is working up. You don’t want to stop when you knit with Noro - you say ‘just one more row’ so that you can see what colour is coming next.

Tomorrow afternoon we are going to see the Knights play vs. Calgary. Beth’s hockey shirt made the trip. In my carry on bag. Just in case a suitcase went missing and she didn’t have her shirt for the game. 

It is only 6:30 in Vegas but 9:30 in my time. I’m exhausted. We had a light dinner and now I’m going to lay down. I might sleep through the night. Well, until 5am. The mall opens at 6 :)

Getting ready to go

It's the "day before I go away, rush to get everything in order" day. I was casting off Free Your Fade and Lynn was sewing in the ends at the same time.

It's finished and hanging at the cash desk. I really enjoy knitting with Rockshelter Sock. We put together a few colour combinations but I didn't have time to get pictures before leaving.

Bibi Rigolo (pattern free on Ravelry) is blocked and the ends are sewn in. It's hanging in the store.

The Nicole Cowl (pattern free on Ravelry) is ready for it's fringe. It is super light - you don't even know that you are wearing it.

There is an order on the way from Spincycle. YAY!!! It is coming by UPS so we might see it next week. It will depend on the hours UPS works over the American Thanksgiving Weekend

Dream State
Salty Dog
Nostalgia
Mississippi Marsala
Deep Bump
Shades of the Earth
Stay Ready
The Family Jewels
Verba Volant

Dyed in the Wool
Shades of the Earth
Burning Sensation
Dead Reckoning
Swerve
The Saddest Place
Verba Volant
Mississippi Marsala

I will post this closer to Christmas but someone called this morning and asked if we are open on December 27. Yikes. It's coming quickly.

Christmas Hours
Monday December 24 10-2
Thursday December 27 10-5:30
Friday December 28 10-5:30
Saturday December 29 10-4
Monday December 31 10-2
Wednesday January 2 10-5:30

Now I need to finish packing. I hope to get a lot of knitting accomplished on the flight - pictures tomorrow.

Travel

I cast on my travel knitting yesterday.

I cast it on and did about 20 rows when we decided it was too tight. I started again today on larger needles. I'm using the new Noro Ito. Colour 4 and colour 12.

What am I making??? I saw on Facebook that someone had knit Nightshift using Ito. It looked interesting. Not everyone wants to use Dream State so this is another option.

Pictures ©Andrea Mowry

The pattern asks for 5mm needles and I am using 5.5mm now. I knit a touch on the loose side to begin with so I think that if you are going to use Ito you should use 5.5mm or 6mm if you are a tight knitter.

For the first section #12 is colour A and #4 is colour B. For the next section I reversed them.

We have a shipment arriving from Gleener tomorrow.

Restore clothing and upholstery with the Gleener® Ultimate Fuzz Remover™. This patented and award winning fabric shaver and lint brush safely removes fuzz balls, lint and pet hair from virtually all fabrics. 3 fabric-safe edges eliminate pilling while a built-in lint brush finishes up the job.

In addition to the original Gleener we will be getting Gleener on the Go.

Smaller than a glasses case, this patented travel fuzz remover is compact enough to take anywhere that last minute wardrobe touch-ups are needed. 3 fabric-safe edges eliminate pilling while a built-in lint brush dusts away pet hair and dandruff. Keep one in your purse, car, briefcase or desk drawer

The Quick Fix travel kit is available in limited quantities. We will be receiving 3 of each colour.

The Quick Fix travel-sewing kit makes keeping your wardrobe looking fresh on the fly easier than ever! This essential sewing kit includes everything you’ll need to mend holes and tears, replace buttons, hem pants and skirts. Keep your outfits fuzz and fluff-free with the included Gleener On the Go. This easy to pack sewing kit is TSA compliant and takes up no more space than a makeup bag or shaving kit in your carry-on.

 I will be putting one in my suitcase.

Free Your Fade is almost finished. I will be casting off in the store tomorrow and we'll hang it unblocked while I'm away.

Now it's bed time. I am exhausted. I should have gone to bed early last night but I got caught up in the football game. And what a game it was.

Deck the Halls

Dad and Lucy just dropped off boxes of yummy. I have been going through the Rockshelter and might take some home 😉

All the colours are on the website.

My Free Your Fade is knit with
104 Old Lace
86 Gifting
93 Opium Den

We were out of Gifting and more skeins were in the order. New new Gifting is more pink and less rust than mine. I love it!!!

Today's post is all over the place. I think my mind is jumping trying to get everything in order to go away.

Diana is just about finished a project so I have her next one ready to go. It is called The Lacey Daze Shawl (purchased on Ravelry) and we are going to use Noro Kumo and Mirai.

Relax and take it easy while you knit this colorful cotton blend shawl with a repetitive, classic, lace stitch pattern. Asymmetrical shawl starts with just a few stitches, adding in additional pattern repeats as it grows. The soft, muted tones of Noro Kumo contrast with the bolder colors of Noro Mirai creating a color landscape of rolling hills and valleys.

There are 2 new colours of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock on the way. Deck the Halls above and Holly Jolly Holiday below.

Lynn and I have been doing more moving around in the store. Mini skein kits have a new home. They now live in the front room and we have them all together.

There are new green signs in baskets of yarn that it's time for us to say goodbye to. These yarns are great for scarves, hats, cowls and mittens. This is Highlander Grande and it's $5 a ball. There are many more baskets full of marked down yarn.

We sent dad on a mission before he came home. He went to Kay Jewellers for us to buy bears. Every year two bears come out and the proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Three of each came home. We keep one of each and the others are donated to toy drives.

Christmas Stockings

Beth and I have been making Christmas Stockings. The first one I made was a trial to see how the pattern worked and to see how much yarn we used. You can make the stocking in a few evenings. It was super fast to knit.

The yarn is Cascade Magnum. I need to block the stocking but that might not be until we get home.

I used 50 yards of the Ecru and 25 yards of the Poinsettia. There is enough left from the skeins to make another stocking like this and then one more reversing the colours. This stocking is going to hang in the store - it doesn't go with my Christmas colour theme.

Beth's first stocking was in Freia Super Bulky. She used almost the full ball for the stocking. She knit from the inside of the ball and then she went from the outside for the heel and toe.

You need a 12mm, 40cm circular and 12mm double pointed needles.

The pattern is called Knit Before Christmas Stocking and it is free on Ravelry. There are a few rows of Short Rows in the heel. They are super simple - please don't let this stop you from making the stockings.

Beth's second stocking. We used tosh vintage held with Prism Plume.

I would have loved to hang them for the pictures but I don't have hangers. We tried last night at Urban Barn, Bed Bath & Beyond and Canadian Tire. Nothing I liked. I will try Pier 1 tomorrow.

We are going to make a few more in the dark denim/teal colours to hang on our mantle.

Beth is going to use the same colour but a ball that is wound in the opposite direction. She will start with blue and work towards beige. The beige will be used for the heel and toe.

Tosh ASAP in first light and fog.

A few more yarn suggestions
Malabrigo Rasta (on sale for 30% off)
tosh ASAP
Uneek Chunky

I'm finished the knitting on the Nicole Cowl - the puzzle is almost finished. Now we need to add the fringe to one edge.

Dad and Lucy made it home safely. They did it in 14 hours. I think that dad might have been exceeding the speed limit a little. It's a good thing that I wasn't with him. He wouldn't like to stop for the bathroom breaks that I would need. Beth has driven with him twice. She barely drinks so that she doesn't have to stop.

Now a few more rows on Free Your Fade. I should finish in the next few evenings and then I'll be ready for a new project to take on the plane.