Just say, "I forgot."

If you are of a certain age - old enough to remember sitting around listening to comedy albums - this classic line from Steve Martin fit my week perfectly. 

In 2009, the Minnesota Knitters' Guild's service project was collecting squares for afghans for charitable groups. We spent a year collecting squares and then had a gala meeting in January 2010 where we sewed up afghans. As a MKG officer, I stayed late sewing up and even took one home for sewing up before the next meeting.

This week, after moving and bagging the stash behind my chair due to an infestation of moths (ugh!), I found the pieces to this afghan and sewed it up.

I am not even sure if I know who was collecting the afghans but I promise to get it back to them. Three years later. And about those moths? They only touched one skein of yarn - because they were busy eating my expensive wool rug. It is currently being repaired and moth proofed. Sigh.

Just in time for a silent auction at my church, the Liberty Cowl. Simple to knit and the yarn does all the work.

 Leaving my plenty of time for my gray Breezy cardigan - I'm finishing up the ribbing! - and my Acer cardigan - cables are in existence! - and enjoying this FABULOUS MINNESOTA SPRING WEATHER!!

Tasty!

Orange sherbert?

Cantaloupe smoothie?

Conan O'Brien's hair?

I still can't find quite the right description of this cute little batt that I made from materials from the MKG picnic last Sunday.   Angela Radzyuk from All for Love of Yarn brought 50 bags of carded fleece and her drum carder and we all dove in and made up little batts from them. I ended up making mine at home because I was helping run the other drum carders but I didn't see a bad combination the whole day. Mine started out as a plain orange roving which I mixed with golden silk and some brown/green angelica. Beautiful! Now, I just need to spin it up . . .

It was a dark and stormy night . . .

on the way home from the Minnesota Knitters' Guild. It was one of those nights that you only read about - windy, dark, spitting rain and lonely.  Since I've been re-reading the various permutations of Sherlock Holmes, it was particularly apt!

As for the rest of my life, not particularly mysterious. A bit trying, though.

Our September MKG meeting is always our largest meeting with a huge number of members bringing in their State Fair submissions and presenting them along with the most humorous part - reading aloud the judges comments.

With such terrible weather, we had fewer participants but each one had several items. We provided bottled water but pots of tea or coffee - or possibly bottles of wine! -  were what we really needed to keep staff and guests from running out of steam.

 I would also not recommend starting a lace pattern late at night, whilst laying on a couch and watching television. My entire knitting this past weekend was removing the misplaced laced pattern that I added in before finishing the main body of my Holden Shawlette.

Before I went away for the weekend, I did find the time to choose a Saturday Seven - and drop them off at GFMelissa's house for her youngest child. Pants, shirts, a robe and a stuffed animal. Enjoy!

A quick glimpse

Just a quick look at the neckline of my February Lady Sweater. I've been fitting it in every so often when I need a break from my Palindrome Scarf. I've been working on my project for my HSKS partner - lots of fun things! - and getting ready for last night's Minnesota Knitters' Guild meeting. Our speaker was Warren Hanson, author of Kiki's Hats.



He spoke about how he came to find this project and then read the book aloud. Afterwards, he sold and signed books. It was a lot of fun and - guess what? - the real Kiki was there too!

A big day tomorrow!

Knitting wise: join me at our own MKG's annual fall Knit-Out, with knitting clinics, a fashion show, a fastest-knitter contest, and representatives from local yarn shops. And THERE WILL BE BUTTONS! ASK ME ABOUT THE BUTTONS!

Admission is free. For directions to the mall, go to the Mall's website www.brookdaleshoppingcenter.com.

The fun will run from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. I am actually not sure how long the buttons will hold out . . .

Earlier in the day, I'm going to the MMRF Race for Research at 9 a.m. at Lake Phalen. I just found out that we were going (Thanks, Mr. Daisy!), so I don't know if I'll run or walk. Either way, I'll be sweating!



The Saturday Seven were all videos or DVDs. Someone else can find a little room for them!

There's an odd story there . . .

Tonight was the annual Minnesota Knitters' Guild State Fair meeting. This is our best-attended meeting and it was worth the time spent. Knitters who have entered this year's State Fair display their items and then read aloud the judge's comments from the judging sheet.

Some of the background revealed tonight . . .

"There's an odd story here . . ."
"It would have been a blue ribbon if that other person hadn't entered!"
"They were talking about you in Fergus Falls!"
"The Table Linen entry people are much nicer - there was a happy face on the info sheet!"

(reading aloud)"Very nice work." "Okay!!"
"It was a symbolic victory for me!"
(Speaking about the fit of her sweater) "My husband said he might not let me out of the house!"

and, finally, the nicest statement came when one lady said, "but they are just slippers!" about her prize winning entry and
and someone else said

"but Blue Ribbons don't get given if they aren't deserved."



The lovely green shawl in the middle is a Laminaria knit by Deb over at Cashmere Dreams. Ever since I saw over at This Boy Knits, I've been longing for one - maybe this winter?

The Name is Harlot, Yarn Harlot that is!

She's back! And with a new book! Ooh! Of course, I'll be dashing though the snow (in April? She'll never come back again, now!) but GF Melissa and I are off to see the Harlot.



I may take along the Paws to Remember Scarf as I am officially on the edging right now. Last night I wound it around my neck and took a good look. It's not narrow enough to loop at the neck so I think I'll just make it long enough to tuck inside a dress coat. And the intended recipient is tall, so what's too long for my neck will be just right for hers.



More likely, I'll take along the second Dobby Sock. I'm on the mindless foot knitting right now - I did the short row heel on Tuesday while waiting at track practice for Oldest Daughter - and I wouldn't get to the toe in just one evening. That will require another long thinking session - I absolutely do not agree that this is an easier sock heel or toe. I don't think it's prettier or even neater. I also have on large hole at the instep that I never get anymore since I've started making Evelyn A. Clark's sock patterns. Grrr.

It's also going to be a big knitting weekend again as this is the Minnesota Knitters' Guild annual Yarnover. I am taking a class about Bohus Stickning and I am really looking forward to it! I love the Bohus patterns and look - but not the fuzzy yarn. And there will be shopping, of course! The location is at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Mn. All though Western Suburban knitters out there (you know who you are!) need to stop by Yarnover marketplace which will be open to all - even if you don't take a class!

Learning something every day

After all that stressing, I am finally cruising along with the edging. (Hmm. A long lost Nicky Epstein book?) It is easy to lose your place but very easy to find it again. I am halfway around the blanket - but will I have enough yarn? I was listening to a comment on "It's a Purl, Man" and someone there said her edging took more yarn than seemed possible.

Nothing like a knitter's guild meeting to kick start your skills. It was either that or a few episodes of "Eureka." Nice to see that other people also fuel their knitting with mindless t.v.! My husband says I have the movie tastes of a 20-yr. old boy and my current addiction to the Sci-Fi Channel proves it.

Row that boat ashore . . .

Like many of my projects, I've put off this project to the last minute. The Minnesota Knitters' Guild is collecting hats and slippers for the Ships Project. I put off knitting my hat until absolutely the last minute. Hence, the two inches of hat on my knee! I probably will finish this tonight but . . . that depends how much ice tea I drink!

I am really looking forward to the next MKG meeting - 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 19th - because Amy Singer, the editor of Knitty will be the speaker! She is going to discuss her new book, “No Sheep for You: Knit Happy with Cotton, Silk, Linen, Hemp, Bamboo and Other Delights,” published by Interweave Press. I am not allergic to wool or animal fibers but I am not very comfortable knitting with other fibers. I am hoping to pick up a few tips on inproving my skills.

I got to meet a few other twin cities knitters last week at the Twin Cities Knitting and Crafting Moms play group. This is an offshoot of the Yahoo Groups' TCKnit Message Board. Youngest Child loved playing with the kids and I got a little of my baby blanket worked on. A very little!



After my fun-but-not-so-thrilling showing on Sunday at the Manitou Tri, I've been trying to run, bike or swim almost every day as part of the final countdown to the Lake Harriet One Mile swim on the 23rd and the Minneman Triathlon on June 29 and my knitting has really been suffering. Generally, I've been asleep ten minutes after I hit the chair.

Sunday's time? 1:54:48. That's about 20 minutes slower than last year but it was 26th for my age group. The scoop on the swim was that it was about 200 yards more than marked. I knew it seemed long! And the worst part? I finally came down with swimmer's itch. Yucky red welts. I am officially Bubonic Sally.


There was no Saturday Seven - I have a pile of stuff, but no time to sort it. We'll have to have the Sunday Seven instead.