READY FOR SCHOOL

I find it amazing that Miss Lillie will start school this fall. For nap time the teacher requested a large bath towel. So we decided that would make a good birthday present after all she will be 5 tomorrow. I purchased a large purple (the favorite color this week) towel and then put on the name. After that I felt it needed a bit more. I added ribbon all the way around in her second most favorite color pink. Then it needed even more so I added the bow. I sewed in on so it will not come untied. Now only to get everything all wrapped and the car loaded and I am off to tomorrow's party. It must be exciting to be turning 5. Lillie is so excited about going to school and how wonderful that is. I get to spend a week with the grandchildren. Will do a bit of "work" selling the ChiaoGoo needles. Hope to have some exciting new things to tell you about very soon coming from them. And now back to the knitting, packing and what ever.

KNITTING TRAVELS!

Each year around this time I escape from the world and have what I like to call my "knitting vacation" I like to take something that has absolutely no thought involved so I am able to sit and visit with my friends. Tomorrow is the big day. I am leaving this afternoon to spend some time with my friend Lou who will put me on the plane headed west early tomorrow morning.

I have just a short time this year to visit but I shall treasure it anyway. I am taking the red sweater I am working on for Louis. Just a plain pullover is what he requested. It is great old yarn from the stash. "Melrose Memory Yarn" If you remember I made him a blue one from this same yarn and he asked for another. Hopefully when I return I will have it finished and he can have it for the start of a new school year.

I HATE to fly but I must for this trip so am busy packing. The first item is the knitting, clothes follow later and are not at all important. Just the time I spend with Ann, Sally and Katie. I can hardly wait to see them. I has been almost a year now.

Then I will return home and get ready to do some work for ChiaoGoo knitting needles. I hope that by the time I return I have a couple of new items to fill you in on that I am soooooo excited about. It will be worth the wait...

Next I must visit the yarn shops in the Rochester, NY area I have neglected them far to long. Never dull in the knitting world around here.

Then August 7,8,9 it is off to Buffalo for the summer convention of the Knitting and Crochet Guild of America.

Will post my progress on the sweater when I return Thursday.

A BIT OF SEWING!

Not knitting but busy. When Lillie was here for a few days she wanted me to make her a summer nightgown. Here it is. She went to the fabric stash and choose just what she wanted.Now I need to get the second one done at some point. I do think things in the knitting sewing line will be on the back burner for a day or two. I am baby sitting with the dogs from Lillie and Louis. I now have 5 four leg friends in the house. Two are large 70 lbs plus and then 3 little Cavaliers. Wow it is hectic here.

I also am working hard on getting rid of all the things daughter and a friend have dropped off for me to sell on ebay. It would make it a lot tidier here to get it all listed, sold and OUT OF HERE......I do not really mind this job but it sure does take a lot of time. I am however doing a small bit of knitting.

Hopefully on Monday I can get back to work for ChiaoGoo and see some yarn shops. I have some more interesting lines to carry in the works as well. I shall keep all of you posted.

A BIT OF KNITTING AT LAST!

I have been asked to knit a special afghan square for a surprise for someone who I can not tell you about here. I choose this square from Mary Walker Phillips "Knitting Counterpanes" Mrs. Beetons pattern. I used a # 6 needle and Brown Sheep Lambs Pride. I am most pleased with this one. Great fun to knit and I felt it would fit into the project quite nicely. Hard to know what to knit when there are others making the squares. I was thrilled to find one repeat of the pattern ended up being the 11: square requested. A gentle steam and that was all there was to it. Also it has a nice edge to join with other squares. I did purl one round past the pattern and then bind off in knit. I had the choice of color so my favorite pink it is.
The same square a different size. What a gauge lesson this is. I used Elizabeth Lavold's cotton, linen blend to make a face cloth. I love this yarn it produced a great feel with just enough texture to give your face a good scrub with out being scratchy. When visiting a yarn shop recently representing my wonderful ChiaoGoo knitting needles the shop owner and I were chatting about linen and what a glorious fiber it is. I mentioned face cloths and Susan asked if I would knit one for her. I choose the same pattern I used for the afghan square. With a #4 needle it came out great. Then for those who wanted something simpler I knit the basic garter stitch "dish cloth" great fun and easy to do. I still even had a bit of yarn left.

I had grandchildren here this past weekend and it was very busy I can assure you of that. Kathy my daughter and I made all new curtains for the little camper they own. Getting it ready for a trip. Now I have Louis here for the next 10 days. But at 12 he is wonderful and absolutely no trouble at all. I even get to knit some.

I just started the swirl shawl to add to the long list of things in progress. Pictures to follow as I make some progress.