Help Me Plan My 50th Birthday!

I invite you to please help me plan my 50th Birthday,

this summer, July 10th.

I really want to make it special, memorable, life changing.

I'm considering a knitting workshop retreat, spa, or

woman's wellness adventure.

Please send me your comments and suggestions.

If you've been on or know of a specific woman's retreat---

please let me know.

I'm looking for something non-religious, healthy, spiritual,

in a beautiful location

such as Sedona, New Mexico or British Columbia.

Not too remote.

Maybe you can suggest a visit to a city with lots of intriguing

YARNS SHOPS where I could shop hop and take classes.

Help me find a

the ultimate getaway by myself without children

for spiritual growth and discovery

to come back renewed, balanced and energized

Doesn't it sound FABULOUS? I imagine you'd like to join me!

The ideal trip would include both a few days at a wellness retreat for women near a city with yarn shops!! Is that too much to ask for? !

Thanks for your help in planning my milestone birthday!

More about A Knitter's Fantasy

A Knitter's Fantasy

Saturday April 14, 2007

Warren, Ohio

sponsored by the

North Coast Knitting Guild

The Door prizes and Raffle items are coming in !!

Among the Raffle items are

AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS:

Sally Melville complete set Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3

"A Knitter’s Template" by Laura Militzer Bryant & Barry Klein

"Shadow Knitting" by Vivian Hoxbro

"Beyond Wool" by Candace Eisner Strick

"Hot Knits" & "A Close-Knit Family" by Melissa Leapman

"Victorian Lace Today" by Jane Sowerby

"A Gathering of Lace" by Meg Swanson

"Artic Lace" by Donna Druchunas

Hand Knit Dolls

$50.00 in Fantasy Bucks to use in the Market

Handmade Entrelac bag

Two afghan kits

AND

350 Free patterns from Harrisville Designs

There are 40 teachers and 52 classes ---- and 31 vendors.

Sale items include T-shirts, Denim shirts, Coffee mugs.

Meanwhile, here's a view of my house and the snow piled up in our cul-de-sac during the last few days and after the "Blizzard of 2007" here in Cleveland, Ohio.

A Knitter's Fantasy - Saturday April 14, 2007

T-SHIRT

DENIM SHIRT

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 of the guild website.

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 this designer to use her pattern in my class:

Noro Chan Bag

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 morning and afternoon classes. Included in the class list are Lace Edgings, Socks on 2 Circulars, Stash Reduction, Mosaic Knitting, Beginning Spinning, The Magic Loop, Broomstick Lace, Needle Tatting, Mitered Squares, Lucet Weaving, and Knitting Without Needles on a Knitting Board. Be sure to check the website for all the classes and descriptions !!

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 120 completed blankets 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 sponored by the
Mahoning Valley Machine Knitters Guild.

Works in Progress

ON THE NEEDLES

While we are in the middle of the blizzard of 2007 with 18 inches of snow expected here in Northeastern Ohio, over the next 12 hours, I'd like to share with you some of my

WORKS IN PROGRESS.

One skein Plymouth BOKU felted bag ready to felt. This was a kit I won at Stitches. Not my favorite choice of yarn, it ripped several times while knitting, but for a felted project, it is fine.

Lion Brand Comfy Cable Throw with Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick yarn for #3 daughter who tells me "don't knit anything else except my afghan!" One panel of 5 almost done. My first cable project, I'm now hooked on cables !!

Artyarns Super Merino Mutlidirectional Scarf. Another addicting pattern !!

My favorite and FOR ME, Interlacements Rick Rac Shawl. My first feather and fan repeating pattern project. One HUGE skein, about half way complete.

AND, Last but not least....................the NONI BOBBLE BAG is ready to felt !!! WOW ---the more bobbles I make, the more it looks like I need. Daughter #3 says, "Enough with those BUBBLES, get back to my afghan. I need it for camp in June !!"

Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival

I enjoyed a wonderful day trip yesterday to the 3rd Annual Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival with a fellow member of my knitting guild.

My first class, "Diamonds of Many Colors" with

Jane Bigelow of

Kindred Spirits Design Studio

located in Franklin, PA, taught me another modular technique.

Starting with the pillow, leading up to making the Vest by Southwest Trading Company pictured below. My yarn kit for the pillow is Patons SWS - Soy Wool Stripes, but you could also use Noro or Karaoke. Knit on size 9 straight needles, this will be a great project !!

Pillow Front

Pillow Back

My pillow so far !!

I really enjoyed my afternoon class on "Basic Socks" where I made an ENTIRE mini sock during the class. Going through each step with 3 instructors on hand, I was able to complete the entire thing and now I think I understand HOW TO MAKE SOCKS. Now I can get back to my Blue Moon Socks that Rock that are on the needles.

I won a door prize for being the first one to register for the event ---

a large canvas tote bag from Lion Brand and the book, "So Simple Knits" by Hilary Mackin.

Kathy Zimmerman, the "Cable Queen", was at her booth,
KATHY'S KREATIONS

Horst Couture, from Cleveland, gave a lecture demonstrating his felting techniques and had his "wearable art" available for sale.

Decadent Fibers
sponsored a room called "The Creative Fiber Arts Class" where, for no charge, you could drop in and create a fiber masterpiece to take home or enter into their competition.

Another popular spot was Uyvonne Bingham's MACHINE KNITTING class and demostration.
Uyvonne is famous for her Translation of hand knit patterns to the knitting machine.

I enjoyed the market but, I'm happy to say, that other than the yarn kit for my pillow, the only thing I purchased was this !!

Cable Comfort Throw

Daughter # 3 has chosen the free Lion Brand Pattern for the

CABLE COMFORT THROW

for her afghan.

Made from 9 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (color Denim)

on size 13 needles it should knit up quickly.

This is my first CABLE project. My daughter said, "You better call someone from the knitting group right away, you don't know what you're doing!!"

Daughter # 1 is looking through books and patterns to choose her afghan. Meanwhile, here in Cleveland, we are in the middle of a BLIZZARD and the high temperature for Monday is only 2 degrees and negative 16 with the wind chill. We'll probably have a "SNOW DAY".

1 Yr. BLOG ANNIVERSARY

Happy 1 year BLOGIVERSARY to me !!

Secret Pal 9 Revealed

I received this adorable Teddy Bear in a handknit sweater from my Secret 9 Pal,

JULI from Spindale, North Carolina.

This has been a wonderful exchange!

I'm so happy to have met another online knitting friend with whom I also share an interest in reading.

She seems to accomplish many great things with the

Great Bookmark Exchange

that she started and I enjoy reading her book reviews here at:

BOOKS TO THE SKY.

A busy and talented woman!!

THANK YOU, JULI

and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to you too!

Toledo, Ohio Day Trip

My oldest daughter, 17 years old, was selected by the Northern Ohio boys to receive an award at the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Beau/Sweetheart convention this weekend in Toledo.

I decided to drive up and surprise her at the banquet.

In the afternoon, I visited 2 yarn shops and a bead store.

At Fiberworks Knitting & Weaving

I purchased a new felted bag by Christine Bylmsa which incorporates cables, called

"MAKING WAVES".

They had a great sale section with patterns, yarn and this R2 magazine for less than $1.00

I managed to resist purchasing Classic Elite Paintbox and Brown Sheep Burly Spun - both HANDPAINTED and perfect for more felted bags.

Fiberworks is hosting "Toledo's Annual Super Bowl of Knitting", a fundraiser for Mom's House and Toledo Children's Hospital on Sunday, Feb. 4 from 1 - 4 PM with contests, door prizes, demos, free classes and MORE. I just may have to make a trip back !!

I added two books to my wish list:

"RIBBON STYLE" by Cheryl Potter

and "EASY AFGHANS FOR KNITTERS" edited by Jeanne Stauffer

Next stop, Yarn Company,

where the owner showcased her original patterns and samples of purses and scarves knit with Berroco Suede and Snowflake by Sirdar.

I purchased the "PURSE CHECK" pattern whose look and feel resembles the soft and trendy
"UGG" bags.

I also purchased a skein made up of 5 or 6 different fabrics together, enough to make a scarf with some eyelash mixed in ...... by M.P.'s Folly..... "Each ball a unique work of art waiting to happen"....

At Baubles, Bangles & Beads, I made a simple keychain, by selecting some beads to go between the heart.

Quite a fun day for me here in Northern Ohio !!!

Colinette Ab Fab Throw finished

Colinette Absolutely Fabulous Throw is finished and on daugher # 2's bed. She chose the stripe pattern which made it easy and quick knitting for me!! We still plan to put on fringe but here's a picture for now.........

7 Beautiful hand dyed yarns, hand picked for you and put together in a kit and a pattern book from which you can choose 4 different patterns. I'm sure you could make this from stash but, for some of us, it's nice to have the colors coordinated and pre-selected for us !!

I am very tempted to make another with the color "Sedona" in the scalloped pattern.......

Any Ideas for Berroco Medley?

Can anyone suggest a project for this Berroco Medley yarn? I have approx. 700 yds, it is

75% wool, 15% acrylic, and 10% Nylon.

I started making Brenda's Blanket from the Berroco free pattern website, but I didn't think it looked very good. I couldn't really see the squares or the block pattern it was supposed to develop into.

So, now the question is..... WHAT TO DO WITH IT???

Please leave comment on this post. THANK YOU!!!

And the Winner is.....

Here is my lovely 12 year old daughter helping me pick the winning entry in my News Years Knitting Resolution contest in honor of my 100th post to my blog.....

AND THE WINNER IS:

BRANDY the "crochetnut"

(click on her name to see her blog) whose resolution is to make a Lady Eleanor.

Brandy has chosen the "Weekend Crafter" book as her prize.

The entries for my New Years Knitting Resolution contest were so numerous and interesting that I have decided to choose 2 more winners......

2nd place JENNIFER the

"Knit Wit Girly"

and a fellow Cleveland knitter

(click on her name to see her blog) whose goal is

"to tackle double points to be able to use them w/o fear"

has chosen "Knit Hats"

and 3rd place BABS

(coincindentally, a member of my Cleveland Northcoast Knitting Guild but she lives in Tennessee) has chosen Debbie Bliss Cotton Knits.

Babs resolves "to finish UFO's and current knitted projects before starting another project."

I had 88 responses (emails and comments combined) to my

New Years Knitting Resolution contest.

The most common response was my resolution too...

"Knit from my stash and don't buy any more yarn."

The most unique response was from Jill who said,

"To share my love of knitting with the curious."

Several knitters are ready to take on a new, challenging technique and many of us are dedicated to knitting more for charity this year.

THIS WAS GREAT FUN !!
STAY TUNED FOR MORE CONTESTS IN THE FUTURE !!

Thanks to everyone for participating and your support and enthusiam for my blog !!

Secret Pal 9 Continues

Secret Pal continues with another wonderful package that I just received from

my pal in North Carolina.

The silver "Frienship Ball" is from "Friendship for the Cure" a lovely token to

promote breast cancer awareness.

I can't wait to knit a scarf with the 2 skeins of SARI RECYCLED SILK.

I've always wanted to try this yarn and my pal gave me a sample pattern to use.

The Patons sock yarn will self pattern as I knit - she knew I'm intrigued by these.

Thank you SECRET PAL !!