Life LackaDaisiCal

This is a mixed bag post today. I love pastries of just about any variety. I particularly like Petit Fours - good Petit Fours. So, when I saw thse at my local Longos, I couldn't resist. They looked wonderful -- and they were! Confession: I ate both of them! DH saw them, but when he got home from work the next day they were gone! Fancy that! Oh well..... I've started a new project.......here are the yarns that I got out ready to go -- for the Autumn Rose sweater that will be in the new Simply Shetland Book 4 that comes out this fall.......I've got a preview copy to knit a display garment for the K-W Knitters Fair show that I do each September. I will be giving you updates as I go along. Daisy gave her approval. And lastly -- Daisy has a friend over to stay for a couple of weeks. His name is Murphy, and they are half siblings -- same father, different mothers. Murphy arrived yesterday to stay with us as his family were going on vacation. He didn't seem to mind ...

Finally -- I've really been dragging my knitting needles on this one....but it's finally done, Alcea as a cardigan, size 42. (No Ruth, you hadn't missed this....I was still struggling along trying to finish it.....sleeves are my downfall, they hold me up every time.) I knit this sweater as 7 repeats of the 48 stitch motif, with a button band of 1", that gave me a 43" sweater - I really need 45 or 46" for a comfortable fit. Usually I make a larger sweater, sufficient for my size with a bit of ease, and when I wash and block it, without much encouragement the sweater grows and with the added growth, it's becomes way too big. My knitting is to gauge at 8 sts to the inch, and I've wondered about my growing sweater phenomenon....well, I've decided that it's because of my floats. My floats aren't loose, but they aren't snug either. I live in fear of my fair isles having the dreaded puckers.......so even right off of the needles, my fair is...

Well, I saw that Lorraine had done it, and Jewel had done it and then Brigitte had done it, so lemming that I am, I had to try it. So I did, and it came up with this.... Reeses Peanut Butter Cups Very popular, one of you is not enough. What Kind of Candy Are You? \ I get the idea, but I do not like, I'd almost use the "H" word when referring to Reese Peanut Butter Cups. I dislike them intensely -- so much for this survey! I much prefer plain chocolate (like Cadbury's Dairy Milk) or an Aero, or in the real candy line, licorice allsorts - I love them! Oh oh, now I want, I HAVE TO HAVE licorice allsorts!

I had originally joined the "Trip to Columbus" to keep Carolyn company on the drive - as a part-time Main St. Yarns employee and yarn enthusiast in general I'd be good company (LOL) - I was delighted when I found out that Simply Shetland would be at TNNA. Simply Shetland yarns being my specialty, I was so excited, let me tell you..... After a full day on Saturday, it was about 5:30 (with the exhibitor hall closing at 6:00) when we finally made our way to the Simply Shetland booth. It was located along with the Unicorn Books display at the opposite end of the hall to where we had be focussing that day. I saw Eunny Jang's fair isle in the flesh so to speak -- it was displayed on a female body shape to set off it's form fitted shaping and raglan sleeve details. It was stunning -- and when I saw the pattern in the book -- it will be easily adjusted for those who don't want it to be so form fitting, or maybe want the neckline to not be so low........ The other s...

This weekend I attended the TNNA Show with my LYS owner Carolyn of Main St. Yarns . It's an easy 7 hour drive from Ontario to Columbus Ohio -- we only made one stop on the way down for gas, something to eat and well, you know....... This is a show where manufacturers of needlework products go to show their wares to the retailers who attend to see what's new and exciting in their area of expertise. After picking up our registration packs, we decided to sit down and do some prep work before entering "the great hall". Oh, let me go back a bit -- before you entered the hall, there was the "Wall of Yarn" -- and that's what it is -- various yarn manufacturers put up a small display of their yarns for show. The best part about it though, is that they also provide a skein of the yarn pre-cut in strips that you can take and paste into your yarn sample book. After giving the wall the once over, tempting as it was, we decided to get on with the show! By the time we...