Sunday, October 22, 2006    started at 5:55am
 

Marginal
Notes:

Weather: COLD! Only in the 40's F outside, Supposed to be sunny, bright, wonderful later today.  

Current projects:

 

Starting to think about Christmas projects.

A Shetland lace Merino scarf for Ryanne.  I might make matching mittens, lined with angora.

Dennis still wants a sweater but I'm trying to talk him down to a vest instead.  He also wants fingerless gloves.  Started the gloves this week.

Ryan wants a scarf with the name of his band knitted into the design.  Should prove interesting.

 

Too many projects to count.  Hats, scarves, baby stuff.  Currently making small items just for the heck of it. 

Socks.  Someone help me.  I can't stop knitting socks.  I need an intervention.  I started another pair.

The gray sweater for Dennis.  Had to rip out the sweater.  I was way off on the stitch count and it was big enough to use as a cover for our barbeque.

Projects on hold.  I'm bored with these!:

A lace scarf out of hand painted Merino.  This is a test project for the business.  I might start to sell this yarn.  Haven't finished it.  Not crazy about the colors.  Maybe I'll make it into socks instead.

Charcoal gray alpaca sweater.  I have misplaced the instructions.  Should be interesting to finish it without them. 

Also crocheting a never ending blanket.

No quilts in progress

 

             
           

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   My weather report for today is again the same.  It's very cold out at this time, only about 35 degrees F.  It's supposed to slightly warm up later than around dinner time and cold rain is due in.  Summer is gone.

Dennis and I drove to Rhinebeck NY yesterday for the Duchess County Sheep and Wool Festival.  Normally I go up on Friday and stay the weekend with the girls from the guild.  Unfortunately, that was not in the budget this year.  Besides the usual cost of lodging, meals and all of my purchases, I would have also lost a day's pay on Friday.  There's always next year.  

Anyway, this was my fourth visit to the festival and all I can say is OH MY GOD! I have never seen that many people there before.  There were THOUSANDS of people.  It was nearly impossible to shop.  I came home with extra bobbins for my wheel, a couple of batts from Grafton Fibers and a souvenir tee shirt and calendar.  That was it!  One of the batts is for Ryanne.  I didn't even buy my usual default purchase of souvenir sock yarn.  I had wanted to buy dyes from Little Barn.  His prices are great.  I had to push my way into the back of his tent, I found the dyes but there was a line of at least 30 people at his register.  I don't need them that badly.  I'll order online.  I then had to push my way back out of the tent.  It was so crowded everywhere that I started to get claustrophobic.  I get that way at Christmas time if I have to shop at the mall too.  We never got anything to eat as the lines at all the food vendors were just as long.  Dennis was getting cold, tired, hungry and cranky.  I was just about the same.  We left at 1:00.  I didn't even bother to check out the fleece sale.  Last year, I was first in line.  I couldn't wait to leave the chaos.

I met Gail, Kathy and Jessie only once when we first arrived.  I never saw them again.  Usually, when we all go, we shop separately but see each other throughout the day and meet up for lunch.  There were just too many people.  I couldn't have found them if I needed to.  

I had to go to Rhinebeck this year as I was a participating square in the Rhinebeck Bloggers Bingo.  I met a few other squares, but they did not have me on their cards.  I also had to deliver an order to a lady that we all know from PA.  I never found her, but Jessie expected to meet up with her and she took the order from me to deliver.

Rhinebeck is the fiber event for this part of the country.  I'm disappointed that it was so crowded.  I'm sure the vendors did very, very well.  I walked by the vendor that sells Socks that Rock yarn around noon (I can't remember her name).  Her yarn racks were empty and she too had a line of 20 or so people waiting to check out!

Anyone that is going to Rhinebeck just today, I wish you luck.  I don't think you'll find much left to purchase.

I had to place another order with Louet this week for more of the Northern Lights fiber.  It's seems to be catching on in popularity.  Either that or now the cold weather has people thinking of spinning more.  The order should be here next week.

I've been told that I'm going to get called for a second interview for one of the jobs in the department.  It's not the one I that I really wanted, but I'll see what happens.  It's the lowest paying job but I'm told that starting salary is negotiable.  It's also the lowest stress job.  That's a plus.  The company had some lay-offs last week.  Someone in Hartford that I had to talk with daily is now gone.  She was a nice lady.  I miss her.  Dennis is safe.  No job cuts in his department.  And where I'm assigned, they are still growing.  Hopefully I'll get one of the jobs.  It would be nice to have benefits again.

Today is my day for chores.  Dennis and I are going to head out to the grocery store and feed store soon.  There is absolutely no food in this house.  Really.  We've had cereal for dinner a couple of nights!  I never went shopping last week so we are very low on everything.  We must stop at the feed store for more bunny kibble, hay and of course, the homemade dog biscuits they sell for Ms. Bailey.  After shopping, I must do the laundry and if it ever warms up a bit outside, wash out the bunny hutches.  It never ends.

Recently completed projects-most recent first:

  Started and finished a quick multi-directional scarf out of the same green homespun for the other temp at work who was leaving.  She's going to school in NH so she'll need it. Knit another hat for Ryanne.  This one larger and out of green homespun.  I added a few stripes of orange to make it the colors of the Irish flag.  She's very Irish. 
A hat for Ryanne out of some blue Merino.  I think it's too small though. A homespun wool scarf in Autumn colors using  a Shetland lace pattern.  It's my first attempt at lace and I'm enjoying it.   Socks.  Two pairs.  One for me and I gave the other to Ryanne.
Made a quick scarf to wear to work out of the recycled silk I purchased on vacation. Ryanne has the green sweater.  I haven't seen it or her for a while.  I have no idea what stage it is at.  She was lengthening the sleeves (I have very short arms) and adding volume to the neck. Socks.  Blue & green variegated yarn.  I gave them to Ryanne
Multidirectional Diagonal scarf out of brown homespun wool and alpaca.  I gave it to Jack the Therapist.  He didn't have a scarf. Finished the never ending cardigan turned vest!  The buttons are sewn on, I just have to make button holes and block it. Pair of mittens for a child.  They are knit out of Blue Wool-Ease from Lion Brand so they will be washable.  I gave them to Chef Dave at work for his little boy Michael.
A multidirectional diagonal scarf for Dennis out of blue homespun wool. A scarf for the scarf swap at our spinning guild made out of a mohair blend I purchased at Rhinebeck and some blue homespun wool. Mittens for the girl who lives down the street made out of brown alpaca and a wool in autumnal colors.
Another hat for my chiropractor's baby out of multicolored acrylic.. Blue mittens to match the scarf for Ryanne  A simple gray winter hat. It's from the Border Leicester fleece that I bought last year.  It's for LP for Christmas. 
A turquoise blue wool and silk blend scarf for Ryanne. Socks out of hand painted wool in lovely muted, "desert" colors.  I inadvertently washed them and the wool felted.  I now have slipper socks. A grass green colored angora & alpaca simple raglan sweater
Hot pink hat for my chiropractor's baby. A cowl from a blend of Cotswold wool and alpaca. A glittery scarf with yarn purchased from Threadbear.
Hat for Dennis of  homespun charcoal gray Corridale wool. An ugly brown sweater for Dennis out of a mix of homespun wools.  He loves it Multicolored socks for me.