What's Next?

Well, I have completed the shawl, and I am waiting for the next project which is the capelet from the Yarn Express website. http://yarnxpress.safeshopper.com/281/cat281.htm?470. I am knitting it in Berrocco Suede in the dark green shade. I am in the Poncho-a-Long that was started on Knitter's Review website and that starts on Wednesday - but ya know what - (shhh don't tell anyone) I am going to start mine this week, becasue I don't want to start another project. I have done the swatch and had my knitting guru help me to check the gauge.

I get lots of emails from many different websites and yesterday I got THE cutest knitted collars from this one - Berroco KnitBits(tm), #70. There are a couple friends that are going to get these for Christmas!!! But then that means that I have to finish my capelet, do my sisters shawl and then these collars. Think that I will get them all done??

Taa Daaa!!! - Here is the shawl that I have been working on for the past several months. I needed to complete it so that I can start my project for the PAL that starts on September 1. 

My Review of Shops in Virginia

Did you know that according to Knitting Universe, there are 37 knitting shops in Virginia? Now, I happen to know that that has to be incorrect, because we have a new shop that opened in Richmond not too long ago, and I am sure that there are some that may not be listed. What I do know is that I have visited 10 shops in Virginia and 1 shop in Nashville and here is what I have learned - shops are different as are the owners and the clientele. I love a shop that is friendly! By this I mean that you are greeted when you come in to the store and the sales staff asks if they can help you. If I say that I am just browsing, please come back and check with me after about 10 minutes. I may have found something I want and need your help. Have lots of samples around the shop, many times, its the samples that are in the shop that catch my eye and "force" me to make a purchase. Don't get twisted if I touch the samples - I need to feel yarns to see if I like the feel of them. If I want the design, but not that yarn because it is too expensive, help me to find something comparable without making a face - or being grumpy. Have enough staff in the store on your busier days so that if you are helping me with something that you don't have to stop to answer the phone, or someone else who says - "I just have one question" and it turns in to a 5 minute discussion. Treat me as if I have spent $500 even though I may have just spent $15 .

Now, as I said, I have visited 11 shops in Virginia and Tennessee. I think that I shall talk about my favorites in the next several blogs and ignore the rest.

My most local shop is Orchardside in Raphine. It is a wonderful shop along a river that has many kinds of geese that visit there on a daily basis. Guy raises blackberries and red raspberries in the summer for picking. Carol runs the shop but believe me, when he is not busy elsewhere, Guy is also very knowledgeable about yarns and knitting. It is a wonderful shop full of many different types and prices of yarn. There are lots of samples of sweaters and scarves and shawls around the shop showcasing many different yarns. If you are a regular - or even semi regular, you are greeted by name when you enter the door. Each new person is also generally introduced to the knitters around the table who seem to gather there on a regular basis if you hang around long enough. If you are a newbie to knitting, Carol, Marsha (or even one of the table knitters) will help you to choose a simple (or sometimes not so simple) pattern and some yarn and will give you an impromptu lesson on how to get started. There are many different types of yarns (handpainted, mohairs, wools, cottons, silks, blends) hanging on hooks on the walls, in specially built cubbys on the walls, and in baskets. There is a large coat rack with quilted bags from Elisabeth Austen. There are several turning racks with pattern books and some books hang on walls as well. Don't see what you want, ask Carol or Marsha and they will order it for you. Sit at the table and knit awhile - or just visit with old friends. Carol will offer you a cup of hot herbal tea. Rusty the poodle will come and greet you and if you are really lucky, the peacock will sit on the banister and screech and spread his tail feathers for you. If you are in the Lexington Virginia area - stop in to visit at Orchardside - you'll be glad that you did.

A Good Time Was Had By All

Last night, I went with a couple of my knit-ster friends to a craft night in Charlottesville at Stony Mountain Fibers (www.StonyMountainFibers.com). The owner of the shop is Barbara Gentry who raises sheep and their wool becomes some of the wonderful wools in her shop. We 3 arrived early which gave us some tine to to do a little shopping before the rest of the group got there. My friend Carol and I snatched up 2 of the cutest bags from Lantern Moon. They are colorful and plastic and look as if they are made like we used to make those gum wrapper chains - remember those?? The rest of the group arrived - a wonderful group of ladies who brought knitting projects, a spinning wheel, and a couple of ladies who brought their drop spindles. I had seen the drop spindle on the Knitty Gritty show and wanted to learn how to do this. I chose an Ashford drop spindle and one of the women was quickly showing me the mechanics of doing this. It is gonna take me a llllooonnngg time to make enough yarn to knit a nose hoodie!!! LOL but I do have a friend that has LOTS of roving, so I am going to go and visit him this afternoon. :-) Anyway - the ladies and my friends, Carol and Joe and I talked and chatted and I did lots of observing (this is generally the say that it goes with me). The ladies thought that the shawl that I am working on is wonderful - I was pretty pleased since it my first big project. It was a wonderful and colorful group of folks and I look forward to being able to go and spend time with them again next month.

Katie at play 

Knitting Ideas

Well, I am still learning how to do this - this log thing. I spent most of yesterday afternoon trying to figure out how to upload pictures and stuff. I added Picaso and Hello and still no pictures. Maybe I'll get it figured out one of these days

Anyhow, more info on me - I am a social worker who works wih special needs children in a private agency. I have been in this job for almost 20 years and I love it.

I am the Mom to a 5 year old poodle named Katie who is really spoiled to death. She is my furbaby and she loves me. She and I live in the house where I was raised since 1965. My Mother passed away in January of this year. My older sister is a United Methodist District Superintendant for the Peninsula District of Virginia. She is the first African American woman to ho;d this honor in Virginia. I am very proud of her.

I have LOTS of hobbies that I enjoy - travel, spending time with friends, cooking, reading, rubber stamping and the reason for this blog - knitting.
I started doing this about 18 months ago when a friend took me to a yarn shop and there were all these wonderful yarns in there - not just the old boring yarns that I remember from years ago.

I got yarn to make a scarf and knitted that up in a couple of days. And then I went back and got more yarn - and made another one. I love the fun and funky yarns best. Well then there was the design that the shop had that the designer is marketing - I have made several of those also.

And now I do what many people do - I travel to different places, but NOT without checking yahoo first to find out where the LYS are. Do you do that too?? Maybe I should tell you about shops in places that I have been to - and what I have learned. But that might be a topic for another day.

My First News

Well, hello!
I guess that I am trying to create a blog. This is apparently what I need to do in order to have a secret pal on the KR forum.

Hopefully folks will stop by to visit me and say hello.