5 more sleeps

We're almost packed. Or we were until 11 boxes came in today from madelinetosh. We're going through the boxes and adding to the tosh going to the show. Not going to the show? Don't worry. We've left lots in the store for you to see.

Beth and I have been listening to the NFL game while going through the door prizes for Camp.

There are going to be many Happy Campers. My suppliers have donated many great things-yarn, needles, bags, books plus a few surprises.

Aileen is finished. OK, the knitting of Aileen is finished. There wasn't a lot of yarn left.

I Soaked her last night (Yuzu was the scent of choice) and now she's laying out in my bathroom. While she's drying I'm starting the fringe on the Ab Fab Throw.

My tips if you are coming to the Fair
-If you don't like crowds then plan to arrive after noon. It starts to thin out a bit and it is easier for you to get into the booths.  This could mean that you might miss out on some of the hand dyed yarns, but trust me, there will be lots of yarn still available.
-Bring your own lunch. Why waste time standing in line when you could be shopping?
-If you see something you like write down the booth number.  It is amazing how many people are running around at the end of the day looking for xyz and they can't remember where they saw it. 
-wear comfortable shoes
-wear something that you have knit and show it off

See you in a few days!!

Finishing

The Ab Fab Throw has been blocked. I will do the fringes tomorrow night while Aileen is blocking.

I need to roll the skeins of yarn that I received from Colinette before I can do the fringing. Luckily I have a sister who owes me big time and will do it tomorrow night. A lot of time was spent helping her with her knitting this weekend. Can you take out a few stitches? I need to pick up ___ stitches. Can you do it for me? I told her that I would show her how to do the finishing tomorrow night. Her comment 'I want it to look really good so maybe you could do it this time and then show me on my next project?' I guess I'm doing some finishing tomorrow night. When it's all done I will show pictures.

Since taking this picture the front bands on Aileen are done. I've picked up the first armhole ribbing and should have that done before Big Brother. Then the other armhole should be finished during the Sunday night football game. Hopefully I can soak it before bed.

All the worrying about running out of yarn-it was for nothing. I'm fairly sure that I have lots. OK, not lots but enough to finish with some left over. Wannietta was correct. Knitting faster helped.

Knitters' Fair

Just a reminder that the Knitters' Fair is next Saturday in Kitchener. And there is a new location. The Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The Aud is easy to get to, just off Highway 8.

If you don't have GPS in your car then go to maps.google.ca - put in Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. I put in directions from the store and the map is pasted here. I'm not sure if it will work once I publish the post. We'll see :)


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Happy Saturday! Here is a free pattern from Rowan.

Knit this stunning cable wrap, the member’s monthly exclusive free pattern for September. Designed by Marie Wallin and using the beautiful yarn Cocoon (merino wool and kid mohair). With an exquisite cable stitch pattern and cribbed detail edging, this knitting pattern is for the intermediate knitter.

Download the pattern... 

Aileen is progressing. There is about an inch complete on the front band. I need to start knitting faster. Something tells me that I'm going to run out of yarn. Wannietta claims that if you knit fast enough then you won't run out.

Gisele from Wool N' Things in Orleans was in the store this morning. Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably are going to be in Ottawa at the end of the month. You can see more information on Gisele's website-there is a class as well as a lecture. It's too bad I don't live closer.

Frustration and Dumb Luck

I finished the Ab Fab throw last night and decided it needed a bath. It has been hanging around the store for many, many years and was a bit dusty. After a soak in Soak it will smell pretty and look good hanging in the store.

There was some frustration at my house last night. I came up with an idea for the Knitters' Fair booth that required some sewing.

I set mom's sewing machine (mine needs to be fixed) up on the dining room table. We decided that I shouldn't sew downstairs because we didn't want Roko going down there to see what I was up to.

Then the frustration hit. I couldn't wind a bobbin on her machine so I did it on mine (that isn't the part of my machine that needs to be fixed). Then the bobbin thread kept jamming on me. There were a few bad words and I put it all away. This afternoon I went down the street from my store to Vlasta's who does alterations and she is going to do the sewing for me.

Mr. Canada Post brought in a box from Wannietta this morning. The Amalfi Poncho is finished. And looks amazing!!

By some stroke of dumb luck I bought new cords for my mannequins that match the poncho perfectly.

I picked up the stitches on Aileen last night while watching Big Brother and football. I needed to pick up 370 stitches for the front bands and I was almost perfect. I ended up with 371. Now I need to do at least 6" of ribbing. You know what I'm doing this weekend. :)

Get yourself organized

Yarn bowls have been shipped and should be here in two weeks. There are lots coming including some checked bowls.

I wonder which colour is coming home with me?

I finished the knitting on Aileen last night. The shoulders are joined and now I get to start the pick up for the front bands.

I've been talking about Aileen for a while but it was kind of a mystery to you. Now you know it's not a figment of your or my imagination.

Some days it is hard to deal with models. She was mad because of two things.

1. The vest isn't finished. She made me put a scarf on her to hide the lack of front band

2. The vest is too big for her.

The next time I show it in a picture I will be wearing it.

Mr. Canada Post brought in a large box from Della Q. Lots of new needle cases. It might be time for me to get my needles and accessories in order.

This is the Circular Needle Wallet.

The tri-fold circular cases allows multiple needles to be stored in each pocket. Labeled from 2 US (2.75 mm) to 15 US (10 mm), plus five unlabeled pockets. Available in printed cotton or solid and stripe silk combination. Includes two zip pockets for notions.

Open: 14.25" wide x 16" high
Closed 5" wide x 11" high

The Circular and Double Pointed Needle Case

• Twelve numbered and two unlabeled pockets for circular needles
• Thirteen numbered and four unlabeled pockets for DPNs up to 8"
• Closed: 5.75" w x 10" h. Open: 20.5” w x 14.25”h.

Our newly redesigned DPN and circular case holds one complete set of DPNs and multiple sets of circulars. There are unlabeled pockets for any extra DPNs or circulars. Quad-fold design securely holds your needles. Includes two small zip pockets for notions. 

Tagalong

Do you need a bit of additional storage for your della Q Interchangeable Case? Strap on a Tagalong! Store extra notions in this mini zip pouch. Still need additional storage, add a second Tagalong. 100% silk taffeta. 

6.25" wide x 4" high x 1"deep

Notions Case

This mini tri-fold case includes a long pocket for gauge storage on the left. The middle section includes three separate zip pockets for stitch markers, yarn cutter, counter, etc. The right side includes six long pockets for DPNs, crochet hooks and stitch holders. Available in cotton print or solid poly-silk.

Open: 10:5" wide x 9" high
Closed: 4" wide x 6.75" high

Long Zip Pouch

Store DPNs, stitch holders or your mascara in this pencil case style that includes a pleated bottom. 

Width: 9 inches 
Height: 2.5 inches
Depth 1.5 inches

 Small Stripe Pouch

Our revamped small zip pouch allows for a bit more storage with its pleated bottom. We also updated the fabric with a solid and stripe combination for our silk fabrics and new cotton prints. Our most popular zip pouch.

Width: 7.5 inches 
Height: 5 inches
Depth: 2.25 inches

The NFL season starts tonight. Yes, I'm very excited about it. Beth and I are playing Fantasy Football again. Our team is awful (or so it appears right now) but we'll see how it goes this weekend. And Amanda should be going home tonight on Big Brother. It's a great day!!

Colinette

More Colinette Ab Fab kits have arrived. The box also had the skeins that I need to finish my throw. I guess I'm going to be making fringe tonight.

 Amethyst

Antique

 Misty Morning

 Rustic

 Sorbet

Versace

It's much later in the evening. We just got home from having dinner with our friends Bev and David. I'm trying to finish my post while watching Master Chef. Then Top Chef Masters and Big Brother at 11. I can't wait.

Here are a few pictures of what we accomplished in the store today. Tosh dk and merino dk are looking good. It hasn't been this neat in a while.

I've chosen the colours that are going to the Knitters' Fair. But that can change between now and next Friday.

If you ware looking for a colour, please let me know and we will bring it with us.

No fringes tonight. That means winding the skeins into balls first and it's too late to start on that. I'm going to finish the back of Aileen and get the shoulders joined. Maybe start picking up for the front bands.

Please don't let Amanda win POV.

Terra

Thank goodness other people are finishing projects. Kim came in today to show off her new shawl.

Pattern: Terra by Jared Flood (we have a few copies in the store or you can purchase on Ravelry)

Yarn: tosh pashmina worsted in whiskey barrel-I can't remember but I think she used 4 skeins.

The shawl feels amazing. Really light and very soft. And the colour is awesome.

Unfortunately there was a small computer problem at my house yesterday. I lost almost all of my Camp documents. It's a long story that I won't go into but I spent most of yesterday redoing them. By the time I was done I couldn't start to write a blog post.

How about Big Brother on Sunday night? Amanda and McCrae on the block together is great. She has been bossing around everyone for weeks and it's time that she is voted out.

We started packing for the Knitters' Fair today. Sorry-the store is going to be a mess for the next few weeks.

Stressful Knitting Night

I was working on Aileen last night and found an issue. I had to rip back 20 rows on the left front. Thankfully it was only 40 stitches so not too bad.

Beth started her monkey at the same time. We had to learn a new technique. Intarsia in the round.

This is something that I have never done before. The pattern is well written with lots of pictures. I was the co-pilot. Beth figured it out herself and did a great job.

Around 10pm I received a text from Wannietta. There was a problem on the finishing of the Amalfi Poncho.

This is the start of the poncho. The triangles are knit in the MC.

This is the end. The pattern asks for you to do the ending triangles (top part of the picture) in the main colour. There is something wrong about this. We looked at pictures from the magazine and figured out the problem and solution. Wannietta is going to take out the ending triangles. Then she is going to take back the last 12 rows in the contrast colour (grey, green and blue) and do the finishing triangles colour in the contrast. We decided that it didn't matter if the triangles were different front and back.

Wannietta will finish it up and bring it to the Knitters' Fair. I can't wait to see it.

Today is going much better.

Sleepy Sunday is done. All the tassels are on. All ends are sewn in.

Jane just stopped by with the Arizona Dream throw that she knit. It is the Denali version in Walkabout Creek. Fabulous. One day it will look great in Myrtle Beach.

Wheaten is growing nicely and I love the colour. The cables show up great in the dark colour.

It's time to get back to Aileen. I hope to have the knitting finished and start on the front band by the time I go back to work on Tuesday.