Saturday, April 19, 2014

Hop, hop, ouch!

I can only hope it is just a coincidence that last weekend was the Minnesota Yarn Shop Hop 2014 -

if you haven't gone to one yet - this year was the biggest ever. 17 yarn shops spread over four days. Great patterns, yarns, door prizes and a final Bonus Prize-

 and this weekend, I am flat in bed with back muscle spasms of some kind. Too much driving really does you in! I ended up power driving from shop to shop just to visit some of the neatest shops in the Twin Cities. I did fall down into the yarn once or twice but it was all Necessary Yarn and patterns so - I don't feel so bad.

The nice staff at A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe helped me find a great cowl pattern (Annabella's Cowl from Churchmouse Yarns) and some Classic Elite Yarns Firefly for a lovely gift cowl. I added in some Kidsilk Haze and it's knitting up for a very drapey look.


And the best part was that a few days later - I won a door prize as well.


A beautiful skein of Kimono by Zitron.  328 yards of 54% Merino and 
46% Silk that has a beautiful sheen.


I can't wait to use it for a cowl as well.


I also bought a skein of the cute Mountain Colors River Wash Sport from Skeins Yarn Shop in Minnetonka. This was the Terry's Azaleas color way they made up just for that shop. And then, I found another skein of Mountain Colors River Twist in the Firehole color way. 


I love Mountain Colors color designs - that is one yarn manufacturer I'd love to tour!

Earlier this month, we were traveling for Spring Break and I had a lot of knitting time in the car.


I tried out a Stephen West design - Windschief - from some leftover Berocco Vintage yarn. It got snapped up by Youngest Child on our first night in the hotel.

Then, another Mother Bear fell off the needles.



Sad to say, I'm still working on the face. 

My third travel project was the body of my Saddle Shoulder Aran Cardigan. I finished up with the body and now I'm moving onto the arms. I'm doing them two at a time and they are creeping along but I'm still enjoying the pattern very much.

Nowadays, I'm working on my cowl, the sweater arms and my Death-by-Hexipuff project. That should keep me until, oh, June. See you then!