2 FINISHED PROJECTS !!

My NORO SURSA SHAWL is finished. How lovely on

#2 Daughter

From the NORO book Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Collection - Book Two -

uses NORO Silk Garden and Cash Iroha for the trim

ZIG ZAG Scarf - 2 skeins of ZIGGY made in Italy

by S. Charles

Doesn't it fit her personality? # 3 Daughter

100th POST & NEW YEARS CONTEST

In honor of my 100th post and to celebrate the NEW YEAR,

I am hosting a CONTEST !!!

I will accept entries starting now, until 5pm EST Friday, January 12th.

To enter, tell me your

# 1 NEW YEARS KNITTING RESOLUTION

EMAIL ME

with "New Years Contest" in the subject line

OR

leave a "COMMENT" on this post stating your resolution.

If your reply is "Anonymous" please include your email address so that

I can contact you if you win.

Are you inspired to learn a new technique, complete an unfinished project, teach a child to knit, knit for charity, start a knitting group, sell something ???.......WHATEVER it may be!!!

The winning email will be picked at random on Friday, January 12, 2007

The WINNER can choose one book from the following:

"Stitch 'N' Bitch" The Knitter's Handbook

by

Debbie Stoller

Debbie Bliss "Cotton Knits for All Seasons"

25 projects for babies, adults, and children

"The Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits"

by

Julie Carles & Jordana Jacobs

"Knit Hats"

15 patterns

"The Weekend Crafter: Knitting"

20 Simple & Stylish Wearables for Beginners

OR

"Scarf Style"

by

by Pam Allen, Editor of Interweave Knits

Good luck and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!!

I Won a Contest !!

I won a contest !!!

From

UNION CENTER KNITS

I sent her an email describing one of my favorite holiday traditions and my name was randomly picked to win a skein of her beautiful hand-dyed yarn.

I have chosen:

Whatnot Sock yarn -hand-dyed by -Joni of Union Center Knits. This skein, called "Wool Swimmer's Yarn", is a "refreshing array of greens, blues, teals, and white".
It is even more beautiful (and soft!) in person.

450 yards of fingering weight superwash wool sock yarn.

Fiber content: 75% Superwash Wool 25% Nylon.

You can see more of her scrumptious hand-dyed yarn and other hand made items

for sale at her etsy shop.

Thank you Joni

I am now inspired to have a contest of my own celebrating

my 100th post

so STAY TUNED !!!!

Colinette Absolutely Fabulous Throw Kit

My Colinette "Absolutely Fabulous Throw" kit from

JENNIFER KNITS has arrived!

seven incredible hand dyed yarns and four patterns from which to choose.

Knit on size 11 needles.

My colorway is "APRIL"

I can't wait to get started !!!

Secret Pal 9 Package Received !

I received my first YUMMY package from my Secret Pal who, I have discovered,

lives in North Carolina.

Two skeins of Knit Picks "Memories" 100% Merino in Redwood Forest color,

Nobo "No Boundaries" pink fluff,

Reynold's "Lopi",

Peaches & Cream,

Lace yarn from Knit Picks,

a wonderful assortment of teas and cocoa,

Beautiful handpainted note cards from the "Shoestring Studio" in British Columbia, Canada

Monet pocket calendar,

and more !!

This secret pal really picked out a wonderful assortment of goodies for me.

THANK YOU SECRET PAL !!

December Knit for Charity - THE RED SCARF PROJECT

What is the Red Scarf Project?

The Red Scarf Project, a project of the Orphan.org, collects red scarves to send in Valentine's Day care packages to college students who have been raised in foster care.

"These brave young people are going it on their own and trying to improve their lives and the community by attending college. The care packages are welcome tokens of encouragement to young people who otherwise receive little to no mail. Your scarf should be soft (any material), unisex design, and approximately 60 inches long by 5 to 8 inches wide. "

For more information, free patterns, ideas, and personal stories,

click on :

THE RED SCARF PROJECT

scarves need to be mailed in January to:

Orphan Foundation of America Red Scarf Project

21351 Gentry Drive, Unit 130

Sterling, VA 20166

A Knitter's Fantasy - April 14, 2007

Get ready for A KNITTER'S FANTASY, SATURDAY APRIL 14, 2007

This year it is my guild's turn to put together the event to be held at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Warren, Ohio.

All the information you need including Classses, Homework, Vendors list, Directions, and Registration are NOW on line at our website at www.northcoastknitting.org

Click on the Knitter's Fantasy link at the top.

Highlights will include:

Connie Lane, the author of "Knit Two Together", and a Clevelander, will be at the Soft 'n' Sassy booth signing copies of her new book straight from the publishers.


We are selling T-shirts with the "Queue up" logo and long sleeve denim shirts with the Fantasy logo as pictured above.


Guild members who choose to, are making and wearing this FUN sheep scarf which we will model as a group during the fashion show. My scarf, pictured here with the tongue, was made from Cascade 220 black and White Sprinkles.

The pattern is from the book "Vogue Knitting Shawls on the Go". It is a modified version of the sheep shawl pattern.

I will be teaching my first class - FELTED BAGS

I have received permission of the designer of the Noro Chan Bag to use her pattern for my class.


I also have put together a WONDERFUL, EXTENSIVE handout on Felting Yarns, Websites with free felted bag patterns, Book list, Yarns to add in for fluff, The Felting Process, and how to make I-cord and Flat handles.
The pattern for the Chan Bag is free and can be seen at Magknits.com Dec. 06



I am on the committee for A Knitter's Fantasy and my job is NAME TAGS. The 40 teachers each have a lovely flower made by our guild members - here are just some of the ones we have ready.

and the 23 committeee members will have a knitted sock on their name tag, generously made by our member, Ginny Thomas.
Many of our guild members will be teaching.



In addition to the Swap Table, and a Caps for Kids contest, we have been making Baby Blanket Strips put together by guild members. We have 40 completed blankets so far and they will be on display and then donated to Huron Road Hospital here in Cleveland.


We will also have an ongoing demonstration of Knittting Machines, Door Prizes, Fashion Show, and MUCH MUCH MORE !!!!

Knitting on the Square Thanksgiving Sale !

One of my local yarn shops,

Knitting on the Square

in Chardon, Ohio is having a terrific Thanksgiving sale.

While others were lined up at Walmart, Target, and the Coach outlet store, many knitting guild friends and I were at Knitting on the Square !!!

My yummy purchases at anywhere from 10% to 60% off included:

INTERLACEMENTS OREGON WORSTED

560 YARDS, HAND DYED by my favorite JUDY DITMORE

100% MERINO WOOL

will make a great felted bag with an Interlacements BEADED Flap

4 SKEINS KARAOKE by SOUTHWEST TRADING COMPANY

will make another great FELTED COMFORTABLE SLING BAG from

KNITTYCHICK.COM

(one of my favorite felted bag patterns!)

ONE SKEIN ONLINE SUPERSOCKE in COLOR - WINTER

Meanwhile, here in Northeastern Ohio, we are having another amazing sunny day with temperatures in the 50's. I don't remember a Thanksgiving with this kind of weather, EVER!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE !!!!

Noro Sursa Shawl

On size 15 needles, this will be a lovely shawl.

Uses 5 skeins of Noro Silk Garden and 2 skeins Noro Cash Iroha

My colors are seen here:

From the NORO book Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Collection - Book Two

CHECK OUT THE BOOK HERE

ok, so I won't look like the 16 year old Swedish beauty pictured above

but I hope it will still look good on me!

3 Finished Bags

This green bag started out as a Noni bag, but I didn't get around to making the flowers so I ended it here and added some buttons.

Made with cascade 220 and Lamb's Pride handpainted originals.

Comforatble swing bag made with NORO KUREYON leftovers.

The free pattern can be found here: try this link

http://www.knittychick.com/comfortable_sling_purse.pdf

at knittychick.com

Ribbon and fluff bag - a non felted first !

Hold Plassard P'tite Fleur together with Tahki Cotton Classic then.....

for the flap.... drop the P'tite Fleur and add On Line Punta to the cotton.

GREETINGS FROM STITCHES EAST - BALTIMORE

FRIDAY

Greetings from Stitches East in Baltimore, Maryland where I just can't seem to get my hands on enough yarn. Weather is much better here than back in Cleveland where we had no electricity (AGAIN) last night due to snow, I guess.

Several people are here from my knitting guild, we're all walking down to the Inner Harbor later for dinner at Legal Sea Food Restaurant.

What a treat to meet the owner of Berroco yarns, Warren Wheelock, and 2 of the Berroco designers - Norah Gaughan and Margery Winter.

Samples of their yarns were available to take home and I learned some tips about how to solve the online "treasure hunts" at the Berroco website. I complimented them on being one of my favorite websites for free patterns.

I met the one and only KAFFE FASSETT who is here doing book signings. It was really cool, he showed us stuff in his knitting bag that he's working on !! Patterns, designs, and a sock pattern to be engineering into self-patterning yarn. He was very fun. I wanted to get a picture but I didn't have the nerve.....Well, there's still tomorrow and Sunday !!

The most interesting thing I purchased so far is a HAMANKA KUMIHIMO DISC

with instructions mostly in Japanese, it is a braiding card with thread to make cords and braids.

Stay tuned for more FROM ME from STITCHES EAST - BALTIMORE



SATURDAY


Today I walked to the Inner Harbor and visited HARBORPLACE and the Light and Pratt Street shopping Pavilions.

Wonderful lunch at EDO SUSHI overlooking the bay area.

From there I walked a few blocks to HISTORIC FEDERAL HILL. Well worth the trip to visit on St. Charles St. - Lucinda Gallery, the Cross Street Market, Vanessa's Vintage Treasures, the
Life Smells Good aromatherapy shop and blending bar and The Gilded Peach.


E. Cross street featured Pandora's Box and Zelda's Zen where I purchased a most unusual

SOAP ROCK that I got for my mother because she always says, "Keep it for yourself, you don't need to get me anything!"

Zelda's also featured these beautiful wool felted bags from RISING TIDE

Now, back at the Day's Inn with my free internet access, I'm resting and getting ready for tonight's Stitches Student Banquet where I hope to win a door prize !!


******************
Thanks to all the generous donations, no one went home empty handed.

I won 2 skeins of Cascade Fixation sock yarn and one skein of Plymouth BOKU with the felted purse pattern.

Lily Chin was dressed up as "Annie" in full hand knit costume and wig.

It was especially cool to have Judy Ditmore of Interlacements see me in the Beaded Scarf I had just finished made from her yarn and beads. She took a minute to fix the scarf and tied it in a special way on me.

Judy Ditmore also gave away a FREE Feather and Fan Shawl pattern made from 1 skein of her 100% Rayon yarn called "Rick Rack".



Stitches picked Ann Rubin, the founder of afghans for Afghans, as the "Knitter of the Year".

GOOD NIGHT !!

SUNDAY

Highlights of the market included meeting the owners of Cascade Yarns,

seeing and feeling the amazing needle felted PUMPKINS from Decadent Fibers,



and seeing the beautiful handcrafted buttons and shawl closures by MOVING MUD.







There were plenty of kits made up to make the Fiber Trends Felted HEDGEHOG which is so cute and I just may have to make one in the future.




My most fun and unusual purchase is the JELLY YARNS PURSE KIT. "Created from a fiber thin plastic, Jelly Yarn® knits up best on metal needles into a cool glossy texture. Jelly Yarn® is not cord or flat lanyard but round, pliable vinyl that is specially formulated for knitting and crochet. Jelly Yarn® is available in 9 yummy colors and 2 weights." The black is called and actually looks like LICORICE. You've got to see it and feel it to believe it !!




My purchases included a kit to make the NONI BOBBLE BAG, including the handle and only enough yarn of each color needed to make the small bobbles.


Also, at the BAG SALE from THE YARN LADY in Laguna, California --- I purchased at 75 % off skeins of NORO BIG BEBE and BERROCO HUSH. How can you go wrong??

I was lucky to get in line at the Information Desk just in time (on the 3rd attempt) to receive a FREE learn to crochet kit from COATS & CLARKS. Free yarn, info, and a crochet hook !!
What a deal !!
I bought 1 skein of OPAL SOCK YARN and 1 skein of On Line Linie SMASH at 50 % off. I was glad to see that there were plenty - but not enough ! - of show special prices on yarns.

Jane Sowerby's book, "Victorian Lace", was well represented as Jane was around to sign the book and her knit lace pieces were modeled and featured at the show.







I enjoyed the Balitmore location of Stitches East better than Stitches Midwest in Chicago. I'll be sure to visit Stitches East again and again !