Just Stuff

I can't believe this week has flown by so fast. Not much has been happening.

Mostly I've been on a reading kick. I have been re-reading some old favorite books by Jude Deveraux (romance).

I've done a little knitting on my Cross-hatch lace socks. After trying them on, I thought I only had an inch to go before starting the toe. Well I knitted the inch, re-tried them on and somehow I still have another inch to go. Either I miscalculated or my feet have grown. Personally I'm betting on the feet growing.

I started a swatch for my Cul-de-Sac Vest. I used size 6 needles to start. I miscalculated on determining what the gauge should be (23 divided by 4 is NOT 7.something) and tried size 8 needles which was too big. After re-figuring the math (should have been 5.75) I figured out that I was getting 6 stitches per inch on a size 6 needle. I thought that might be close enough, but some of the other knitters at Bella Vita, said I should try a 5 based on the gauge ruler thingy since there is only a .25 mm difference between a size 5 & 6 needle. So I open my needle case to switch out the tips on my circular needles and I discover that the 5's are missing. OK, no problem they are probably at home being used on my cascading leaves shawl. Nope, I have dug and dug, but cannot find my size 5 tips. Luckily Hobby Lobby carries the Susan Bates Tips and even better, they are 40% off this week. Think I'll get 2 just in case.

I also started a grocery bag pattern. It is called Liz's Magic String Bag and it was published in the Chicago Tribune. (Sadly it is no longer on their website unless you pay for it through their archives) A couple of the Bella Vita ladies have made them and they are pretty cool. It of course uses a size 5 needle also, but just to try it out, I used a 4. And I grabbed some Omega Sinfonia cotton yarn out of my stash to knit with. The pattern says you need 375 yds and I only have about 218 with the Sinfonia, but I have another skein (not the same color) but I'll use that if I need it.

On to another subject, my Peonies are blooming. They are really big and smell wonderful. I currently have 4 blooming and 10 more buds that I hope will open up too. I took lots of photos, but I just haven't downloaded them. I will get that done this weekend and post them. I was trying to tell my friend McKelle about them on the phone last night, but when I said "My Peonies are so big" she said what???? She was a bit shocked because she thought I said "my panties are so big." We had a good laugh.

Speaking of McKelle, I am going on vacation with her and her family. We are going up to Ludington to go camping. Although their camping is much different that mine. They all have 5th-wheel campers and I have a lowly tent. But it should be fun. I haven't been camping since 2003. I even found out from another knitter that Ludington has a really cool yarn store called Nautical Yarn.

And now I'm back to talking about knitting. This weekend the Elkhart Farmers Market is going to be having their first ever Harvest Moon Fiber Festival. It is today and tomorrow. I'm going to go check it out tomorrow. I really should be mowing the lawn, but heck I can do that another day.

PS. I found this really neat web-site called www.knitmap.com You type in a location and it gives you a map of all the local knitting/yarn stores. You should give it a try for your next outing.