Fiber Arts & Furry Critters

Saturday, August 17, 2002

Hi, all! For some reason, this method of communication appeals to me. I lurk on many lists and rarely post. Most of the time, I feel like someone else "got there first" and said it better than I could have. In this case, it's just for me and what I have to say (in between answering "Mommy" calls.)

Intro:
I am a 40-year-old computer professional, currently a stay-at-home mom for the last 4 years or so. My passions are my kids, my crafts, and my dogs. My kids are 19, 10, and 5. My crafts are spinning, knitting, weaving, and many other things that come and go on a relatively sporadic basis, including cross-stitch, crochet, quilting, bobbin lace, tatting, etc. My dogs are mostly Australian Shepherds, and one old Golden, and a powderpuff Chinese Crested. I show in competition obedience and in the breed ring.

Last week DH and I took our first vacation alone (only 3 days, but what the heck!) in about 5 years. It was great! We were mostly in the Lake Winnipesaukee area of NH, but did make one side trip to a knitting shop I've wanted to visit for quite some time - the Grand View Country Store in Randolph, NH. I picked up 2 books that I think are out of print - "Harmony Class on Aran Knitting", and "Sweaters by Hand", neither of which I've ever seen before. Being a prodigious book collector, that's saying something! I also got 2 sweater kits - one is for the Susan Shabo "I'd Rather Be Knitting" pattern, "Textures", done with dark blue-green Briggs & Little yarn. The other is a pattern originally written for, I think, Mexican Wave - untitled, just a simple pullover, but with a cabled yoke. This one is being done in a red-and-black flecked Plymouth Encore. The 5 year old definitely NEEDS washable yarns!

Two days later, I visited my favorite LYS, The Elegant Ewe in Concord, NH, for yet more purchases. I got a couple of books (again) - "How to be Owned by and Antique Spinning Wheel", which I'd been waiting for, and "Norsk Strikkedesign" which has added yet MORE gorgeous sweaters to my want-to-do list!! Also got a shawl kit that uses one strand of Eros novelty yarn and one strand of Kid Seta kid mohair held together. Flashy *AND* soft!! (Marci had a model up in the shop.) This one is going to be quick *and* gorgeous!

Been having a fit of startitis lately. I started working on the Celtic Cardigan for my vacation, in a blue-green Cascade 220. Then, after buying new stuff, I started first the shawl kit, then the Encore sweater. Didn't make much progress on the shawl. I was hoping for a quick, no-brainer knit. Turns out that the two yarns (both very thin) held together and done on 6.5 mm needles requires some concentration, because of the big needle/small yarn combination. It was at that point that I started the Encore sweater.

Well, I'll get back to this later - need to go get ready for a dog show!

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