New Toy...

My major purchase from Stitches this weekend was a Kromski Sonata in the walnut finish. I got it from Morgaine at Carolina Homespun, and she threw in some lovely fiber as well.

Stitches Bitches

I think I had an even better Stitches this year than last year. Super sweet train ride. Despite the rain and hectic race to get everyone to the train and the train being late, it was a lovely ride. We didn't get any goody bags, but they did give us a ball of yarn, and B won one of the grand prizes for the train ride. She didn't need/want a lot of the stuff in gift bag so she gave it away to the rest of us. She gave me a couple of books and a kit.

At Stitches, I went on a whirlwind. Hit Blue Moon Fiber Arts and got a couple of skeins of heavyweight sock yarn, one in jasper one in jade. Next we hit Brooks Farm Yarn, and after much hohumming, I choose two skeins of very lovely variegate green Duet (mohair and wool). I also picked up some primero (all mohair) in a lovely slate grey.
Next was my downfall, Carolina Homespun where I bought a spinning wheel which I will show you once it gets to this side of the bay. Despite spending nearly 4 hours looking for "something brown" to buy, I came up empty making the silk hankie from Carolina Homespun my final purchase of the day at all of 11:30 am.
After a little hassle getting the wheel loaded up and in the car, we hit the hotel bar and some cocktails and a little nosh. I must say though when something lists mixed vegetable tempura I expect more than just broccoli and brocolinni. The trip back was great as well thanks the adult juice that Karrie smuggled on the train. No waiting in the very long dinner car line for overpriced wine.
Finally, a couple of us went to Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe which I had been wanting to trying after reading a review. Very quick once we got seated, and it appeared when arrived at the only time when there was a line all night. Hamburger was great, BLAT was only alright due to the inclusion of mayo despite all assurances it would be and was left off and the miniscule amount of A (really gacuamole) on the sandwich. Once hell of root beer float though. Waiter just brought out an entire cup of ice cream and a rootbeer.

Final secret pal package... Finally

I guess it must have gotten lost in the mail, but my final secret pal package arrived today. Hurrah. Better late than nothing at all.
Turns out my secret pal is Amy of knit exploits. Thanks Amy for all the lovely things over the past couple months.
She sent me quite a last package, four balls of yarn, some goat's milk soap (who know they made soap out goats milk), a cute retro towel, a lovely card, and three pieces of tissue paper that Pablo can't leave alone. Amy me got me two balls of Noro Silk Garden in Blue Teal which should make a lovely lace scarf as well as two balls of malabrigo merino in lime blue.


And after much thought, I have decided to go for secret pal 10. Though I might also check out swap bot.

And the best part is that Stitches happening right now! We are headed down on the knitting train. Lots of fun. And I can find some stuff for my new pal.

President's Day Sale

So this weekend is President's Day, and the sales are all on. Abby's keen eyes spotted a gargae sale where I picked up a nifty samsonite case as well as cookbook for a two bucks.
We then hit the north face outlet and the royal robin outlet and REI. I picked up some pretty good stuff which Pablo seemed to approve of.

Only 9 days...

Until the knitting train rolls out for Stitches West.
I am going to buy some fiber, some brooks farms, and perhaps a spinning wheel.
Should be fun fun times.
I've bought my ticket have you?

Cute gato pictures

Yes I know I talk about Pablo a lot, but what do you expect for an old cat lady in training™? Seriously though where else am I going to find someone who will listen to me when I talk, won't steal any of my food, and takes up no closet space? Here are some cute picture I took recently.














In the first Pablo attacks some of the dehaired camel that Karrie ordered to test spin. He went nuts for that stuff and nearly tore the bag open. In the second Pablo starts a round of his favorite game, 'pet my belly and I'll bite you don't pet my belly and I'll attack you'. It starts out so sweetly but oh do the tables turn. I don't call him Pablo el gato muy loco for nothing.
Finally, Pablo decides to try on Karrie's scarf. He really just liked to sit on or attack anything that I set on the bed (see gato sits on new bag).
Aren't pets great? Pablo is currently trying to start another of his favorite games, 'You can't see me because I am lying as flat as possible, but I will attack you when you pass'. He also gets confused sometimes when I am walking about my apartment getting ready to go out or go to bed and thinks I am playing chase so he chases me back. Or perhaps I am the stupid one who can't figure out we were playing all along. Wouldn't it be great to think that nearly everything is a game?

More yarn I spun. I think I might be getting better.

Well I have been spinning. Karrie let me use a very large bag of bright blue fiber (which I owe her some dosh for) as well as some wonderfully soft yellow fiber all for the famous stash of Sarah's grandmother. I have previously posted a picture of the yellow yarn. I had just a bit of one ply of yellow left over so I plied it with some of the blue yarn. Due to a little burp in winding up the single ply yellow blue strand, I ended up making a 3 ply blue-blue-yellow yarn, just about 6 yards of it. Not sure what to do with it. I also made about a 3.5 ounces of double ply blue yarn. It isn't very soft, but it might be okay once it is washed.





Despite this largesse, Karrie and I went to Deep Color studios to check out the store. According to Karrie, they had switched some stuff around it was much easier to get around in. I thought it was great. All sorts of pretty colors of hand dyed roving. I decided however to go for the natural color fiber. I got both dark medium brown and white, both of which were easy to spin. I spun about 2 ounces of each then plied the two strands together. I think the result was quite pretty as well as being a more consistent thickness. Unfortunately right after I took this picture I turned my back and Pablo attacked the yarn. He sure does love that fiber. He didn't do that much damage although somehow about 4 inches were unraveled though not broken.

New bags

Sweet. I finally got the bag I ordered off of etsy. Bought it from Katrina Kaye in the Netherlands. I also got twenty little boxes. Pablo seemed to really like the bag. I do too. :)



















Also I order a clutch from Inhope in New Jersey . She has few cute purses that I was thinking about getting as well, and she makes some super cute ties.

Finally done...

I finished a Christmas present at the brunch. My mother's scarf made from handpaintedyarn.com 6-ply merino in burgundy. I really like how it turned out. I put fringe on it. I think it is the wrong length or perhaps not.
I really like how the color in the yarn zig zags. Lovely yarn. I alternated balls because they looked so different. I am a little worried about trying to make a sweater if there is so much color variation.

Brunch

It was B's birthday last weekend and we had a knitting/guitar hero brunch to celebrate.
I made a special recipe that I got from Lis. Jimmy Dean's sweaty balls. Well Lis called them Sausage cheese balls but I like to call them sweaty balls to make her blush.









Sausage-Cheese Balls

3 cups Original Bisquick mix *
1 pound uncooked bulk pork sausage (we used regular, because they were out of low fat, but a ton of fat came off during cooking, so I think next time we'll try to get the low fat Jimmy Dean sausage)
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (1 pound)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk (plus 1 or 2 Tablespoons more)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crumbled (we used fresh rosemary, finely chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (we omitted this)

1. Heat oven to 350 deg. Lightly grease a 15-by-10-by-1 inch pan (no need to grease if your pan is non-stick)
2. Stir together all ingredients until well mixed, using your hands if necessary. (if necessary to bring together add a splash more milk) Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place in pan
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned. Immediately remove from the pan. Serve warm. Makes ~50 balls.

This recipe is a great one to make ahead- go ahead and make the mix, form into balls up to a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate them, then cook as directed.

* I didn't have any bisquick on hand, so I used this "fake Bisquick" instead:
2 c. flour
1/4 c. dry milk powder
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
2 T sugar
5 T shortening

mix all ingredients except shortening, then cut in shortening until incorporated (consistency of fine gravel)