Meet CLEO !!!

Yesterday we adopted this adorable 3 month puppie

a Sheltie mix female we named CLEO

from the Cleveland Animal Protective League

I'm ADDICTED to Ravelry!!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am now on

Ravelry --- my name is smiledr710

I have been busy posting pictures and descriptions of my projects. It is so well organized, easy to use. Much to my dismay, there were no groups established yet for some of my favorite projects...so, what did I do?? I created them myself!!

My first finished vest

I learned so much from making my first wearable garment that,

unlike a poncho or shawl, was actually designed to fit !!

I made 2 fronts, a back, a collar, and even

3 buttonholes !!

I used

Plymouth Encore Mega Colorspun Yarn

single strand

SEED STITCH throughout

and

Sarah James pattern #WV 301

My project was even selected to be on the Ravelry page for this pattern !!

Free Knitting Patterns at HowStuffWorks.com

I just discovered another website full of

more wonderful free patterns and detailed instructions.

TAKE A LOOK !!

HowStuffWorks.com

You Tube Knitting Instructions

I am so excited to see that there are so many instructional knitting videos on

YOU TUBE !!

I've been trying to make this MANOS YARN SCARF

called
"MY SO CALLED SCARF"

posted by

WINGEDSHEEP and you can find her You Tube instructions
HERE

FIONA ELLIS

I recently took 2 classes from the internationally known fashion knit designer,

Fiona Ellis.

How exciting to see the actual swatches and garments that went into writing her 2 recents books:

INSPIRED CABLE KNITS

and INSPIRED FAIR ISLE KNITS.

In my "Morphing Cables" class, I enjoyed following her guidelines for making cables that change and become other patterns.

The afternoon class, "The Amazing Slip Stitch Illusion" taught us several examples to add texture and colos.... follow the directions and magical illusions appear !

CLEVELAND KNIT OUT

What a great way to spend the last warm day,

85 degrees,

on the shores of Lake Erie

the Cleveland KNIT-OUT event 2007

Door prizes, demos, knitting, and more !!

Sponsored in part by

STITCH CLEVELAND

Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Museum

Cleveland Browns football stadium

I'm back from vacation

For those of you who thought that I never made it back from my 50 year old

BIRTHDAY RETREAT, I'm here to tell you that,

YES I'M HERE and STILL KNITTING!!!

That's me on the right, with Laila, the goddess of

Aziza Healing Adventures.

****************************************************************************

The most recent knitting project that I finished is the

FELTED OVEN MITTS from KNIT PICKS.

A quick knit and it felted beautifully.

FIRST PLACE Winner in my knitting guild's competition: Accessories category !!

Stay tuned for my next post with pictures from this Sunday's

KNIT OUT in downtown Cleveland !!

and, last but not least,

GO TRIBE !!

On Vacation

I'm leaving today for my vacation in celebration of my 50 th birthday. I will be attending a Woman's Wellness Retreat in Ontario 2 hours north of Toronto.

You can check out the location at

THIRTEEN MOONS

With no internet and minimal cell phone access, it should be a true GETAWAY.

Of course, there are 2 yarn shops in Peterborough nearby that I will visit !!

The workshops at Thirteen Moons will be lead by

Laila Ghattas of

AZIZA HEALING ADVENTURES

Dye Your Own Yarn Workshop

At the recent Lake Farm Park Wool Fest in Kirtland, Ohio

I took a Dye Your Own Yarn Workshop.

I came prepared with 3 skeins of my own yarn

100% Wool Worsted from Knit Picks ready to dye.

The 3 skeins of my own should be enough to make a

felted bag and I can't wait to get started!!

We used Country Classics acid dyes which are available from
Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm.

Ellen, herself, was scheduled to teach this class, but unfortanately she was ill and could not make it. A local fiber artist filled in and it was very enjoyable.

We dyed soft roving (I'll have to learn to spin it next!), and a silk scarf.

Spring Felted Bag Exchange Revealed

Spring Felted Bag Exchange

Thank you, Deb, in Springfield, Mass

for this beautiful felted bag which arrived just in time for my birthday !!

I received this lovely lined hand embellished buttonhole bag from Deb...

and the Ball Band bag I made from Monica Knits,

(see September, 2006 entry)

was sent to KRIS in

Goffstown, New Hampshire with enough yarn (1 skein Cascade 220 and 1 skein Noro Kureyon) and some of my homemade stitch markers to make a bag of her own.

Secret Pal 10 Revealed

Thank you,

LIA

from the Blueberry Capital in New Jersey,

for making my birthday even more special !!

I received my
Secret Pal 10 REVEAL package just in time for my birthday !!

4 skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino to hand dye myself, luscsious Classic Elite La Gran Mohair, fun notepads which I can never have enough of, Cream Melt Burner from Elegant Choices with candles for aromatherapy,

and a set of her handmade stitchmarkers which can be found at her etsy shop....

"LadyBug Creations"

************************************************************************************

My assortment of Secret Pal treasures over the last few months went to

PATTY in Minnesota

highlights included Opal sock yarn, Koigu, a beany bag turtle (she collects turtles), the book "Knit Two Together" signed by the author and a "Share the Care" totebag which Patty says she's been using everyday for work !!

Thank you secret pals for a wonderful exchange !!

Today is my Birthday !!

July 10 - the big 50

and what a celebration at last night's NorthCoast Knitting Guild meeting !!

Andrea brought me these lovely flowers

Dental school classmate from 20 years ago and fellow knitter,

Marilyn, came in from Youngstown

Mo suprised me with 2 skeins of Regia Silk Color, size 1 double pointeds,

Nancy Bush's book

"Folk Socks" and an adorable hand made certificate for me to receive

sock knitting lessons.

My sister treated us with 4 different kinds of homemade cookies and this special plate for everyone to sign from

OUR NAME IS MUD

My wonderful secret pal, Michelle, from the International Scarf Exchange sent me 3 skeins of my favorite yarn, Noro Kureyon, in a NEW COLOR.

Thank you MICHELLE !!

Now it's off to the

Ladies and Gentleman Spa at Legacy Village

with my middle daughter (the other 2 are away at overnight summer camp programs) and then a delicious dinner with my sister

and my lovely middle daughter (almost 16 years old)

at

SUSHI ROCK

Thank you to everyone for making my birthday special and memorable !!

Cleveland Indians Stitch N Pitch

What a blast !!!

Stitch N Pitch Cleveland Indians

baseball game last week.

Beautiful summer night, great goodie bag,

a visit from Slider

and

we won the game !!

GOODIE BAG:

Clover Size 19 straight needles 16 " long

Canvas Project Bag

Boye Crochet Hook

Needlepoint canvas

Trendsetter Yarns "Fatigues" one skein

Free patterns from local shops

Cross Stitch Sampler booklet

All about "Clover" needles booklet

Knitter's Travel Guide Book 2006 published by
DirectionPress

right here in my town, Solon, Ohio !!