Black Friday

So the past several years on Black Friday...I have gone to New York City...Our district provides a free bus to staff members...isn't that awesome?  I asked my yarn compatriot, Maureen, if she'd like to go with me this year...of course, she said yes...

Yes, my project is trying to kill me!  It was the only way I could take the picture!

So Maureen has not been to any yarn stores in NYC.....I decided to visit a few I had never been to myself....

First up: Annie and Co Needlepoint and Knitting

Fabulous store!!!!!!  It was a bit of a hike from the subway..and we stopped for pizza at a kosher pizza place (first time for that too!!!!)

It was good...and we were refreshed for the walk.....

We finally spotted yarn in a window....(there was a lot of construction going on in the area)

It was big and airy!  Friendly staff...as it was Black Friday, everything was 20% off!

I came home with a skein of this...

and some Madelinetosh DK in the Twig color....so gorgeous!!!!

Then we checked out another local yarn store...it was a complete bust...(I'm not going to name it)..The store was teeny, tiny...you could maybe have four people stand shoulder to shoulder across and it was about the length of my living and dining rooms.....and the owner got up and hovered behind us the entire time!  Every time we touched something, she told us what it was....we beat feet out of there pretty fast....

Then we headed to String...I had told Maureen it was a bit upscale, I had been to a previous location many years ago......The staff was friendly and the yarn nice, but nothing told me I had to purchase it...except for a puff pompom!!!! It was an olive color and so gorgeously soft!!!!  There was no price, so I had a bit of a sticker shock when it came to $27...I'm hoping it's cashmere or something...either way, it'll top my Twig hat.....we didn't buy anything else...they had some great big, super chunky yarn....but I had left my credit card in my car by accident, so was on a bit of a budget....

Then we headed to Times Square to people watch and wait for the bus pickup at 6....we decided to go to Ruby Tuesday for a dessert...

It's their new flatbread apple caramel crumb....absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

So another successful, stressfree Black Friday!

Year of Projects: Week 48

Wow...I have not done one of these since August!  But since I'm on the Jan-Dec schedule, I better get caught up on it...as you can imagine I have things to add and things to subtract from my lists...and I have several projects to add to the Projects in Mind list, but will wait for new list...I am trying to finish up some WIPs to clear room for new projects...

2015 Completed Projects:
White mittens - 1/10/15
Quick Crochet Cowl - 1/12/15
Stripes Cowl - 1/22/15
Frosty, the Snowman - 1/24/15
Head Wrap - 1/24/15
H's Everyday Socks 2/7/2015
Stepping Stones 2/17/15
Ita's Shawl 2/18/15
Speckled Eggs 4/11/15
Stitch's Rock Collection Hat 4/16/15
Hawk Baktus  5/17/15
Far Side of the Moon 5/17/15
Estrella's Turtle 5/20/15
Quick Hat 6/1/15
Adele Socks  6/11/15
Zuzu's Petals 6/13/15
Humphrey 6/14/15
Olivia Owl 6/24/15
Shoulder Poncho 7/26/15
Freedom Rollers 7/30/15
Boot cuffs 8/1/15
Those Socks 8/13/15

Sockhead KAL 9/30/15 - no picture of this..
Bride and Groom 10/3/15

Bridal Garter 10/15/15

Owligan 10/18/15

Pebble 11/1/15

Seed Stitch Cowl/Hood 11/12/15

Flaming Arrows 11/17/15

The Boyz Shawl 11/21/15

Web Cowled Shawl CAL 11/21/15

Bedrock 11/28/15 - no picture yet..

So the projects that are in a bigger font are those I have finished since August...I also have a small leaf amigurami in there...

 So let's get the WIP list caught up....
  WIPs Crochet:
Mission Falls Poncho: (Started 2006)
Round Ripple: (Started 2006 (?) Aiden)
Around the World Afghan: (April 2010): about ¼ done
Betty Shrug: I don’t know how long I’ve been working on this, but it only has an arm and a border to go.
Sunrise Sunset Afghan: this has been hibernating awhile, 6 squares done. Tis the Season (11/10/13)
Tabard Tunic (NW Diss 2/1/14)

Did not complete any of these crochet WIPS
 
Knit: 
 Learn to Knit Afghan: (started 2010): 3 squares done
Light in Shadows (1/14/14)
Garter Path (6/1/14) - frogged
Turtleneck Capelet #2 (8/12/14)
Willow Fields (9/6/14)  
Shark in the Woods (11/27/14)

I finished two of these, are now on the other list and frogged one, as I couldn't figure out where I was in the pattern

Socks:
Kai-Mei: (April 2012)

Johnny's Socks (Jan 2013)

Irish Tea (Feb 2015)
Dork Socks (6/13/15)
Blue Skies and Rainbows 6/26/15
A & C Vanilla 7/3/15 
Martina Marvin in Norway 7/14/15

Finished one pair of socks from this list....

My other WIPs have not seen much love in awhile..
  
Scarves/Shawls:
Splashy Flowers: (May 2011)
Larry Stashbuster Scarf (2012)
 
Bags:
Beach Bag: (started May 2010)  Just needs lining sewn in

KAL/CAL:   Fire and Blood (5/4/14)
Outlander MKAL (8/8/14) 
Downton Abbey (1/4/15)
 
Misc: Sunflower: (August 2012) Need a back and to felt  

And then my long list of Projects in Mind....
  
Gifts/Charity: 
Hats for friend's babies (ongoing) Hats for students (ongoing)
Kimberly Skye's tunic
Two Elsa doll/blanket things

Sweaters:
Test Pattern Sweater
Car Coat
Cowl Vest
 
Shawls/Scarves/Cowls 
Rockefeller
Wholehearted
West End Scarf 
Gathering Leaves
Alhambra
Petal Edge Scarf
Filippi Scarf 
Firefly Scarf 
Fraxinus 
Danube Cowl
Simple City
Fire and Ice
Multnomah
Leylines 
Holden Shawlette
Daybreak
Trellis Shawl
Bedford Springs Shawl   
 
Hats and Mitts
Hermione Hearts Ron
Nehalm Hat
Felicity
Stellar
Cabled Headband
Fetching  
Cayunga Hat and Mitts set
Preposterous
Ruffled hat and mitts
Evergreen Gloves
Sheepy Cuffs
Twisted Rib Mitts and Hat
 
Socks:
Memento Mori
Rubus
Siren Socks
Savory Lace Socks
Autumn Flame
Firebird

Rescue Me, Chin Boy and Show Me the Stars
Twin peaks
 
Bags:
Sarape Shopper
Pleated Purse
Circular Felted Bag

Stitch Along Wednesday

Good evening!!!  Last week was the longest week ever! Parent conference weeks are long and exhausting!  Plus I had several other things going on during the week...this week is short...today we had our Second Grade Feast and I had to come home and take a nap...whew!  But we have some great parents and fantastic parental involvement this year...last year I was lucky to get a couple of parents...but I had 100% show up for conferences and today I had 9 (technically 14, as I had three sets of Mom and Dad..and a Mom and Grandma)  parents out of my 20 show up to help and more sent food!  I had several dads that came too...we love seeing the dads involved!

I have been on a finishing streak and have finished two biggish projects, My Boyz shawl and a CAL shawl....I am almost done with a hat...and I am itching to start something new, but not going to...gonna finish a few more things first....no pictures....I will have some up for Finished Friday...too dark to take any now and the hat doesn't look like much...

I hope everyone has a great holiday...and those that are not American, have a great weekend!

Stitch Along Wednesday

Good morning!  I am up bright and early to post this.....

I have been working exclusively on my two shawls....and I finished Flaming Arrows last night...however, it's minus the arrows...I used Stephen West's Arroway...but when I got down to the edge where the arrows are, I chose not to do them...the yarns did not have enough contrast, so the arrows would have just blended in....it's all good...I love the look of the shawl...it's stripey...and made with Girl on Fire from Nerd Girl Yarn.....and today I am going to the double feature!!!!

So excited!!!!!!

Now to finish up the Boyz shawl! 

No pictures, as I finished it late last night....

So what have you been working on????

As always, please link back...thanks!

Stash Saturation Saturday

and so it goes.....

Let's do the festivals first....Rhinebeck acquisition

3 skeins of Into the Whirled and 4 skeins (they were on sale for $5 of Harrisville Shetland)

and Fiber Festival of New England...

The top is for a gift...then 4 skeins of Mad Color...the pink is a new color inspired by Carol on The Walking Dead...and a new yarn base for her....The yellow and blue is from A Hundred Ravens and is steampunk The Wizard (as in Oz)...the three together will be for Stephen West's new MKAL...

and LYS purchases..

The pink, again for a gift....

And some clubs and online purchases..

Simply Socks was having a giveaway and I wanted that bag...so ordered a Miss Babs and a STR...and my newest...a Star Wars kit....

Finished Friday

I have not done a Finished Friday since August!!!  August!!!

Wow!  So I have a few things to show you....Number one is my Owligan!  I don't have a great picture of it, as I have not done a photo shoot with it....

This is how it looked when I wore it to Rhinebeck.  Those are vintage buttons....but they were too small, so I bought some pottery buttons that day and changed them out...and I don't have a picture of that...and it's too dark here to take one now...so I'll post one later....

I had two weddings...I made a bride and groom for the Hubs cousin...

And a garter for a dear friend's daughter

I made a leaf from one of Fresh Stitches kits...

And a baby vest...I followed the Pebble Vest pattern, but used fingering weight yarn...I should have held it double...but it's all good...

I finished another Sockhead....and again, it is too big...I don't have a finished shot, but maybe next time...

I think that is it for now!  I hope to have my Flaming Arrows done for next week and maybe The Boyz as well...I am also working on a quick bulky seed stitch cowl....

How about you????