CT Sheep and Wool

Today was the Ct Sheep and Wool.  It’s not very large, but it does have a some good selection…can you believe I went most of the day without buying yarn??  I know!  Unbelievable!
There were two specific things I wanted to buy:
A festival t-shirt and Rowanwood soap.  I got six Rowanwood soaps, all but one a new scent and my t-shirt in aqua this year….and off I went….

I perused for a bit until my friend Laura showed up with husband, Jason and daughter Jade.  Jason and I have a good time and talk geeky shows: Dr. Who, Torchwood, A Game of Thrones, etc…Laura and I went shopping, and she bought yarn before I did!! 


 

There were some old favorites here and some new favorites and some missing favorites….I bought Jade her birthday gift:

Isn’t it adorable???? It’s a bit big, but plenty of room to go!
There were animals:
 
 
The alpacas are Dirty Diana and Morning Glory and the Llamas are Prince Caspian and Buffalo Bill Cody (whose mom was Annie Get Your Gun!).  Cody was not thrilled to be there.  Here they are looking at:
 
Tallulah, an angora goat walking around on a leash.  There were some kids too.
A baby Angora and a baby Nigerian Drawf.
We also watched some sheepdog trials….
 
These sheep didn’t want to play, so they jumped the fence and ended up here.
Poor sheepdog….
Now what did I get: 6 bars a soap, a sweater for a young girl, a t-shirt for me, a gifty for someone else, some Maple Cream (instead of syrup) for the Hubs and this
I mentioned this in the Great Rhody post.  Well I saw it again and again loved it.  The Hubs loved it when he saw it in RI, so I bought the kit….I don’t have the skillz yet for it, but someday…..

A Dream Trip

My bestest bud, Deidre and her whole family went to Ireland a couple weeks ago.  She has been many times, but the family, as a whole has not been…

One of the reasons that they go is her daughter Caitlin dances in the World Irish Dance Competition.  This year she placed 29th…Woohoo! 

She also took a zillion pictures…look some Irish wool! Maybe this sheep was used in the making of my wool…..

And her wearing the cowel I made!  In Ireland!  Almost like I was there, but not quite!  Someday maybe…..

Remember This?

The red is back...however this time I went to the eye doctor....A small bit of pink eye, a large case of allergy conjuctivitis...eyeballs as dry as sandpaper (her words).....No contacts for several weeks...oh poor me!  Gonna go find something to watch on tv...

A Walk and A Swing

I go through periods of working out and not working out.  Coming off a very sedentary winter, I have gained more weight.  So I am trying to jumpstart myself into working out again.  With this in mind, I have been making myself take a walk everyday.  Now I live on the middle of a hill.  So either way I get a decent workout, going up or down, as eventually I have to go up or down again…

I’ve been taking my camera with me.  Last week I started taking pictures of some of the old houses around here….but today I went to the park and I swang (??) on the swings….

My new Sketchers…had to replace my old ones when I realized they had a hole in the side.  I love me some Sketchers!  Look at those white legs!

I also watched a softball practice while I swang…mainly so I could watch for those balls…some came kinda close…

The best part of today?  I received some genuine Irish yarn!!  My bestest bud was on the lookout for me last week….Look at these beauties!

The top two are from the Blarney Woolen Mill and are HUGE!  I have no idea of the yardage….The last yarn was bought in Dingle and are a superwash.   The first two are very sheepy smelling…Deidre said that is what Ireland smells like….all over….like sheep.

Another Sweater

So during my vacation week, I also finished this sweater.  It is actually the second sweater for this little boy.  I had made him a sweater when he was born, but come the time to wear it, it was too small.

Sweater on the right is the first one.  The sweater on the left is the new one.  My friend really liked the buttons, so I cut them off of the first sweater to put on the second sweater.

 

They were both thrilled when the sweaters, when I gave them to the Moms this morning….

I also started another sock…

It’s a Vanilla sock pattern from the Knitmore Girls.  Someone suggested I start a sock in a more variegated yarn…it may hold my interest more.  Since I lurve sock yarn and all the variations…I figured I’d try that…

And, oh yeah..I’m back at work…8 more weeks….

FO Friday

 

These you saw on Wednesday, but now they are finished…

The buttons are little red engines…I’m not thrilled with them, but it was what I could find.  They may get caught in the yarn… 

Pattern:  Improvised

Yarn: Plymouth Encore

Size: 2 year

Yarn:  Mission Falls 1824 Wool

Pattern: Improvised

Now I have to decide what I’m doing today…need to go to the store, but do I also head up to Webs with my gift card….or wait for the tent sale…which I’ve never been to????  Decisions, decisions…

One of Those Days

Today has just been one of those days....

1.  Tried to fix sink plumbing, couldn't get the last big screwy thing off (Hubs tried when he got home and he couldn't either)  So gotta go get some Liquid Plumbr...and I had to wash my hands four times before the smell went away...

2.  Worked on a bag of bills and paperwork...I have boxes and bags of these all over the place and slowly working through them.....I got through one bag and was done and I had to take several breaks...

3.  Updated some things on the blog...

4.  Put away some winter coats....this is a chore, as I have to move a big basket of yarn and all the stuff on top of it.....also took out some of my springier purses...pink anyone?

5.  During the moving of said basket found a huge box of sheet protectors, damn just bought some new ones last week!

6.  Shredding some of the paperwork, threw some away, tore some of it up....

7.  Finally decided to take a shower, after a quick 30 minute nap....

8.  Thought I'd go to Knit Night in North Haven, but nope didn't feel like driving the 45 minutes in traffic....so skipped it and put on my pajamas...

9.  Pulled out the Kathy Merrick Splashy Scarf to work on and stared at it for about 20 minutes before deciding my brain could not handle it...

10.  Worked on the basketweave square from Learn to Knit....did one row, it was enough....

11.  Read through some posts, made some comments, cleaned up a few more things...

12.  And that was my day!  Exciting, Huh?

13.  I got lots of looksees from the Rhody Crawl post - but no frickin' comments!  Been kinda bummed about the lack of comments in general...do I smell people?  It's also cuz I've been home all week and more frequently check the blog....

14.  Now off to add my latest finishes to Rav......finished pics tomorrow....

15.  Tomorrow need to add to my Colin collection, as The King's Speech came out and I get paid!

WIP-it Wednesday!

I don’t normally follow these, as I’m usually at work…but since I am on vacation this week and crafting frantically to finish a few projects, I thought I’d share!
Train sweater for a friend’s son.  The sweater I finished last week.  I did the train last night.  I need to go button shopping today.  I have some train buttons, but not loving them for this…This will be done for Friday.  Just need the button band and buttons done, not sure I’m edging it yet…
Another sweater for a young man.  I made this previously, but it was too small by the time winter came around.  So I am remaking it.
My Mission Falls 1824 Wool set.  I liked that the colors seemed kinda retro, so I went for a retro feel to this set.  I had a skein of the green, so I bought a skein of the purple and beige.  Then I got 6 skeins of the red at a closeout sale….I made the granny scarf, then had 7 grannies left over, so I’m making mitts.  Not sure I like the red…but not going to buy anymore yarn for this….I just need to finish the mitts and snip off ends…I already wove them in…
My knit project is “A Breath of Fresh Air” scarf by Debbie O’Neill for the February Loopy kit….I love this yarn.  It is The Alpaca Yarn Company Paca-Peds in Promise of Spring.
I am too lazy to do links today…sorry…
It is rainy and gray (grey) out, so pictures are kinda dull….sorry…
Now to go button shopping and shopping for a sink-puller-outer-yucky-stuff.  Then back home to clean a bit and then craft.  I may stop at the gym too….

ETA:  No gym, dropped a stack of hard heavy plastic baskets on big toe at Big Lots, now sore, swollen and black and blue...
and sink-puller-outer-yucky-stuff didn't work...DAMN!  Have to take the sink apart...YUCK!  Another day... So I can sit with toe up and craft another day away..................................

The Great Rhody Yarn Crawl

On Saturday I embarked on my second sponsored yarn crawl.  This one across the state of Rhode Island.  There were 15 stores participating.  I only made it to 6, but still did some damage.  The Hubs said I was varied this time, not all yarn…The Hubs went along to try and nab some fresh seafood, specifically clams….
The first shop was Knitwits in Westerly, RI.  I purchased a pattern book from Classic Elite, yarn and some buttons….They also had alpacas outside.  Very friendly shop, small but had plenty of variety…plus they gave out cloth bags with the purchase…great new project bag!

Then we moved on to Eneri Knits in Exeter.  Great open store…I didn’t purchase any yarn, but got a new Namaste bag….I can use this one as a purse, instead of a  project bag…that’s my fourth Namaste….trying to get them in all the colors!  They had a good selection of yarn, but it was mostly stuff that I can get locally….but love my Namaste…and they had Alpacas outside, too! Plus I got lots of comments on the hat/mitt set I was sporting!

Unwind in East Greenwich was next….I did get a skein of Madelintosh Sock that the Hubs liked a lot…..It was a friendly store and I got a good discount of 25%…..but it felt like they had just opened…the store didn’t seem quite “together.”  Not sure how long they have been open…I forgot to take pictures here…
Then we headed to Warren and went to Bella Yarns…great, friendly store!  I liked this one a lot….there were two people working (I think one was the owner) and they were very friendly and knowledgeable and “crochet-friendly.”  It said so in the window……Here I did some damage and bought two skeins of Mountian Colors Crazy Foot…one in the “clown barf” colors that the Hubs is so drawn to…I also got a Zauberball.  
Next was Sakonnet Purls in Tiverton.  Really pretty area, a bit of a drive off the main road and there was construction.  But we eventually found it.  A lot bigger on the inside, just like the Tardis!  I wasn’t sure I was going to get anything here but some Lantern Moon needles and a hook, but walking around I saw a green bag I fell in LOVE with, so purchased the pattern from Plymouth Yarn and the yarn for it…..Can’t wait to start it, but it will wait for a bit!   It was cold in there, as it seemed to be an old house, with rambling rooms….I did not take any pictures here…I forgot
Last, but not least was The Knitting Corner and Beadery.  To be honest, I was a little yarned out by this time….I also could have done some damage in the bead room, but restrained myself.  Very friendly store!  Owner was great and from what I understand was opening on Sunday, even though she usually was closed….Here I got some needles I needed for the bag pattern and another Zauberball, why?  Because I forgot I had gotten the first one!  Same colors!  Different lots!  Oh well!
There’s the Hubs!
Then we headed to Pawtucket, and crashed in a hotel room for the night…
The next day was the Culminating Event!  We got there at noon, after realizing my GPS, Stella, sent us the wrong way down the street.
It was in a great old textile mill that is now a museum (I used to work in one of these mills!)  We didn’t do the tour, but I may go back….
I was very excited to see Heather of Sereknity again.  We had met at Coveted Yarn in Gloucester last month and she remembered me!  But then again we chatted for quite a bit!  I didn’t purchase anything from her, as I had checked my stash and realized I had five skeins from her I still had not used!  But we did chat for a bit…
I also met Ysolda Teague and bought her first book…..Not sure when I’ll get around to making it, but now I have the famous Ishbel pattern…

I also ran into Stitchy McYarnpants….I had met her at Rhinebeck and played Rhinebeck Bingo with her, but of course she didn’t remember me….(lots of people at Rhinebeck!)  But did get a really cool alien project bag from her!  I love her retro stuff….but it’s not always something I would use…but I think it’s fun….

The only yarn I purchased was from Play at Life Fiber Arts.  It was cool looking and I kept going back to it.
There were some great artisans there.  Serendipity Needles had some really cool needles.  If I was better at knitting, I might have gotten some….

I loved this kit from Dirty Water DyeWorks.  If my skills were better, I might have purchased it.  Plus the Hubs was drawn to it too….I have bought items from her in her previous business as Dye Dreams….maybe if she’s at Rhinebeck this year….
The damage!

And yes, The Hubs got his clams!  We ended up back in Connecticut at The Sea Swirl in Mystic.
And the PACAS!