Tomorrow the 2015 writings of Knitting: A Love Story will go to the printer.  I can't wait to see what it looks like.  I must say, Thanksgiving was fabulous.  Just Dick, Jan, Lucy, Murphy, turkey, Detroit Lions football and Spartans basketball all in one day.  It just doesn't get any better than that.  My Spartans won the Big 10 East in football and are on their way to Indianapolis for the Big 10 Championship game.  A win there will put them in the Final Four of football.  WOW!  Then the Spartans basketball won the John Wooden Tournament.  Things are pretty exciting for the Spartan nation.

​I had a goal.  By the end of Sunday, November 29, I wanted to have 16 of my little purses made.

There they are.  16 of them.  Aren't they the cutest thing ever!?!?! M & M's and Hershey went all out for Christmas this year.   I needed to have 16 done because I was supposed to host one of my bridge groups tomorrow.  In the middle of the night, I throat started screaming.  My soulmate Dick shared his illness with me.  Ain't love grand.  I had to cancel my party.  So I really didn't have to have them done after all.  If you are interested in making one of these adorable bags made from a candy bag, you can find the pattern in Block Late Summer Vol 2 Issue 4.  It is a book put out by the Missouri Star Quilt Company.And believe me, if I can do it, you can do it.  Hanging around with all of these quilters has kind of piqued my interest.  

Now, let me show what I was able to finish because I got my purses done early.

Isn't this fabulously funky!?!?!? Is that still a useable word?  I finished this for my niece Erin.  It is four strips knit in different colors then tacked together with knots.  I love this pattern.  This is the second one I have given to special people.  

The strips are different colors but different lengths.  It is so random and amazing.  I've had the pattern for years.  I found it in the Style series by Interweave Knits.  It is called scarf STYLE by Pam Allen with a copyright date of 2004.  I think around 2000 was a significant time for knitting.  Things changed greatly.  Designs went from my Mom's knitting to my knitting.  Color became very important.  And I mean BOLD colors.  You would really love this book.  It has many wonderfully different scarfs.    

This is called 5th Avenue Shawl.  I love this pattern and got beautiful yarn from the fabulous ladies at Knit Purl in Portland, Oregon.  I knit it thinking it was for me after all, I loved it so much.  But one day, I lifted it up to Dick and said, "Who does this look like?" and like that it became my sister-in-law Andi's.  Now let me show you the finished product.

Isn't it beautiful!?!?!?!? It is soft, a beautiful color and will look great on Andi.  Of course, it would have looked great on me, too.  Oh, well!  It is better to give than keep (or something like that.)

So, we were able to organize the gifts that will go to Kansas because I was ahead of the game on the purses.  Oh, yah, I made Andi and Erin purses.

The Dove is for Andi and the Mike and Ike is for Erin.  I had a a hard time finding a bag of Mike and Ike since they are primarily theater candy in a box.  But it's cute.  My plan was to put the candy in the bag bug I found out I LOVE MIKE AND IKE.  Where has it been all my life.  It kind of between a jelly bean and a gummy but better than both.  

​I really want to show you my other purses close up.

I think you should try to make one.  The next time I write, it will be the beginning of book 3.  Let the Holiday Season begin!

This is my penultimate post of the year.  On December 1, the 2015 Knitting: A Love Story will go to the printer.  I don't know if you remember from last year but my Mom won't read from a tablet or computer so I will once again make a book for her.  Last year I stopped at December 1 so I would remember where to pick up for the knew book.  When I write after December 1, I will be beginning book 3 of Knitting: A Love Story.  

I am thankful for my fabulous husband Dick (and my adorable dog Murphy.)  How many husbands would build a room for their wife's yarn?!?!?!?!  He did that and now I have my Stash Studio.  He is very patient and accepting and generous.  He is my best friend and my soulmate.  

This is my glorious Stash Studio.  Isn't it amazing!?!?!?!

I'm thankful for my family, especially for my Mom who will be 91 on December 12.  Murphy is thankful for "Grammie," too.  When we scold him, he jumps on Mom's lap.  It was my Mom who encouraged me to take knitting lessons from Mary Helen Growt many years ago.  

My sister Kathy will be coming north for Christmas since Mom has decided that she isn't able to make long trips any more.  I'm excited.  I've started to test recipes, plan menus, get the Stash Studio ready for company.  Murphy loves Aunt Kathy, too.

I am thankful for all of my fabulous friends.  Linda Kaufman is my dear friend and knitting buddy.  We have spent many, many hours together knitting and solving all of the worlds problems.  We have taken yarn tours, found new LYSs, taken classes together and influenced each other to buy more all for the love of fiber.  I have so many friends but there are a few who are special.  Those seem to be the friends I've had the longest; like Evie (since college) and Barb (since the 70's).  We're not old people, just old friends.

I'm thankful I fell in love with fiber in general and knitting in particular.  My life is richer and fuller (is there such a word or is it more full?) because I visited Mary Helen Growt in the Little Shop and discovered the wonderful world of knitting.  Because of knitting, I am a calmer person.  ("I knit so I don't kill people.")  Because of knitting, I became a yarn collector, falling in love with every skein of yarn I buy. Because of knitting, I started Knitting: A Love Story.  Because of knitting, I have met many amazing people.  I have a skill and a passion which will be with me until the end.  I have said many times, I could never buy another skein of yarn, knit until I die and still have enough yarn for a small, third world country. My wish for you is that you too find joy and passion in something that you enjoy every day.  

​Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.  

​

Well, it is exactly 5 weeks from today until Christmas.  I think last year about this time I smugly talked about how I never do last minute knitting any more.  Remember when I said I knit things I love all year then they tell me where they want to go.  Once again this year, I knit things I love all year.  Once again, I will make a trip to the Stash Studio to find out where all of these treasure will be going.  Yesterday I sat down and made a list (God, I love lists!) of all of the Christmas gifts that needed to be finished.  I must say I overwhelmed myself.  HOW AM I GOING TO DO THIS ALL IN 5 WEEKS??????????  The issue is something I just learned to do that has nothing to do with knitting.  

I am totally smitten with this adorable little purse made out of a candy bag.  The second I first saw this, I was totally hooked.  I haven't been hooked on anything outside of knitting in a very long time.  Remember I am a knitter.  I am not a quilter.  I am not much of a seamstress but I decided I had to make one of these little darlings.  Ann's By Design had a class last night taught by the incomparable Kathy Tripp.  She is something else.  Quilter extraordinaire.  She'll come into Ann's By Design one day and be back a couple days later with something finished for display.  I loaded up my candy bag, sewing machine, zipper and all of the other necessities needed to make this little cutie.  There were three of us in class and I was definitely at the bottom of the Bell Curve.  I remarked that it was the first time in a very long time that I was the slowest person in class. I felt like the last person to turn their test in after everybody else was gone home.  I could easily been labeled remedial.  I did finish and I have a confession.  I plan to make 14 more of these beauties before Christmas!  I have searched for the perfect candy bag for each friend.  Barb loves Dove Dark Chocolate, so her purse is a Dove Dark Chocolate bag.  Erin's favorite candy is Mike and Ike.  Who knew.  I had to do a little searching for this since Mike and Ike comes in a box.  The wonders of Amazon!  They have everything.  Kathy's favorite flavor is Irish Cream so this bag must be her's.  Once again, I have gone overboard on something.  The story of my life.  I have put myself on a schedule with plans to have all 14 bags finished by next weekend.  Isn't this just the cutest?!?!  M & M's and Hershey's have such adorable Christmas bags of candy, I just couldn't resist.  

In addition to the 14 bags, I have the following to finish:

1.  I need to hide all of the ends in an afghan I made for Evie and Butch.
2.  I need to steam a shawl for Mom for her birthday. (You will absolutely love seeing this when I write about it.  It is beautiful!)
3.  I need to steam a beautiful shawl for Andi. (You will be impressed with this.  I thought it was mine until I said to Dick, "Who does this look like?"  He said, "Andi." and it was no longer mine.)
4.  I have a scarf for Erin that needs to be put together.  This is so funky that I can't wait to show you.
5.  I am making a fleece Red Wings wubby for Dick.  Not rocket science but it will still take a little time.
6.  I am also making a fleece Spartan hubby for Kathy.  I have fabric for one for me too but that may have to wait until after Christmas.

As you can see, I have a little work to do.  How did I get myself into this mess!?!?!?!?!  In addition, I must knit every day.  I am just a nicer person when I knit a little every day.  I will be checking in to show you my progress on all of these wondrous treasures.  

I told you about Caterpillar Green Yarn, now let me introduce you to Tess Designer Yarns.  Just thinking about TDY thrills me.  I get quivery.  I even hyperventilate a little bit.  This yarn takes my breath away. (Is it possible to hyperventilate and have your breath taken away at the same time.  I'm not sure.)  Are you ready to be WOWWED?!?!?!?!

​This is it!  It's a lace weight, merino, gradient yarn called Primary Colors.  I'm in love.  Does it remind you of something?  What about the Rainbow Cardigan I tried to knit in Sunset Beach last year?  The difference is, I really will finish this.  Once again I have been seduced by Roy G Biv.  They are all here: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.  This will be a blanket.  How it's done is mind blowing (when didn't I take the opportunity to make a point by over stating a point!)  

You start with four strands of this gorgeous, lace weight yarn in, let's say, the blue.  You knit totally blue until you decide to start the transition.  then you replace one strand of blue with one strand of purple.  Knit with that for a while then change a second strand of blue for a strand of purple.  Continue until you are knitting all purple (excuse me not purple but indigo.)  You continue that way until you work through all of your colors.  The neat thing is there is no right way or wrong way to do it.  No formula for how many rows to knit with one color, how many rows to transition.  You can make it fit you.  I love that.

The colors are vibrant and beautiful.  The transition from color to color will be magic.  I have emailed and called the company with questions.  They are friendly, helpful.  Tess Designer yarns is a family company from Portland, Maine.  Daughter Tess is the color and fashion consultant and manages the retail shop. Mother Melinda works the fiber side coming up with the most beautiful colors you will ever see.

I've started my gradient blanket, and it is going to be mine.  I just couldn't wait until after Christmas.  I just had to get my hand on this yummy yarn. I am so excited to begin a color transition.  

This is my very own Tess Designer Yarn in Primary Colors.  If you are color crazed like I am; if you get exuberant about beautiful yarns; if you are a yarn snob who loves the exquisite, then Tess Designer Yarns is a company you will love.  Visit the website or call Melinda and you will be a very happy person.   

OMG! Have you ever seen something and thought, "I must share this with EVERYONE!"  By everyone, I mean everyone who loves to knit or collect yarn.  First of all, how many of you are addicted to Pinterest? When I went to the class at Crafty Lady Trio in the spring on using your iPad with your knitting, I was introduced to Pinterest thinking I would never use it.  A mere 6 months later, I am a drooling, unquestionable, addict.  I have found the most amazing things about knitting (and cooking another of my 5 great loves).  I am going to share with you two companies who produce the most breath taking yarns that I found on Pinterest.  First of all, I am currently obsessed with gradient yarns.  So I did a search on gradient yarns and followed it where ever it took me.  And it took me to Caterpillar Green Yarns and Tess Designer Yarns.

Let me introduce you to Caterpillar Green Yarns an artisan yarn company based on Vancouver Island, BC. It produces the most fabulous self striping yarn you will ever see.

This is their Concrete and Tulips colorway. I saw this and thought, "What's the big deal."  Then I wound it and got this. . . 

I am still not sure I would have gone to crazy, cuckoo about this yarn, if I hadn't already seen this. . .

Have you ever seen anything so absolutely amazing as what that skein of yarn becomes!?!?!?!?!  This is going to be one of my Sunset Beach projects (if I can wait that long.)  The great thing is they have patterns which are designed the compliment their out-of-the-box striping yarn.  This obviously is the shawl skein, but they also have a sock striping skein.  I am almost ready to bite the bullet and KNIT A PAIR OF SOCKS!  I have NEVER felt that desire until I saw this yarn.

I bought 2 skeins so I could make both of these shawls since I I couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted to make.  I think one will be mine and one will be part of my 2016 Christmas gift collection.  Let me show you some of the other colorways you can choose from.

This is called Olive Branch.  The yarn mix for this marvelous yarn is superwash merino, cashmere and nylon.  It creates an incredibly soft fiber.  Now look at how Olive Branch looks knit up. (I know this colorway isn't me, but it is perfect for someone I know who I won't mention and ruin the surprise.)

I must admit that I bought 6 different colorways , 3 with my first purchase and three with my second.  Let me show you all 6 colorways (even though I only have three skeins to show you.  

This is called Warm and Fuzzy and it knits up like this. . . 

Isn't that absolutely amazing.  Even though the skeins are lovely, knit up this yarn is spectacular.  I think I will wait until I get the last 3 skeins to show you those colorways.  I think seeing the differece between the skein and the knitted object is worth waiting for.  

​Now I must tell you about purchasing from Caterpillar Green Yarns.  When I first found them, of course I immediately went to the website.  That's where I saw the Concrete and Tulip and knew I had to have that but it was marked SOLD OUT.  Then I went to the next color SOLD OUT. Then the next SOLD OUT.  Then I emailed the company.  They gave me the date and the exact time they would have yarn available to sell.  Being the absolutely compulsive person I am, I logged in on the minute.  I got my two skeins of Concrete and Tulip and one skein each of Warm and Fuzzy and Olive Branch.  About an hour later I went back to get another colorway that I thought I could not live without but it was already SOLD OUT.  As a matter of fact pretty much everything was SOLD OUT.  They did have the next date and exact time yarn would be available again.  That happened to be Thursday, November 5 at 10:00 Pacific Time.  They even had a little calculator which would give you what time that would be in your time zone.  Well, for me it was 1:00.  I impatiently waited until exactly 1:00 on Thursday, November 5.  It was the craziest thing.  I got my three colorways (I wish I would have purchased a couple of skeins of the sock yarn) then I watched each colorway sell out.  It is the craziest thing!  There is such a demand for this yarn. 

I have decided I do not want to dilute the power of Caterpillar Green Yarn and Tess Designs by writing about them together.  They both deserve their own article.  Wait until to see Tess Designs, you will immediately know why it set my heart a flutter.

I am a yarn snob!  I am not embarrassed or ashamed.  I am proud.  I love fine, expensive yarn.  I love natural, yummy fibers.  You have read all of this before.  One day when I was working at Ann's By Design, Ann came up with a ball of yarn and said, "This isn't selling.  Why don't you use it and make a sample."  The yarn was a very beautiful teal.  When I touched it, it was soft.  Then I looked at the label.  EEEEEKKKKK!  ACRYLIC!  Was she really asking me to knit something using acrylic?!?!?!?!  I equated acrylic with squeaky, rough, not even real yarn. Then I started working with Cascade North Shore.

These are the colors I chose.  Do you notice it has a rainbow thing going on?  Now what could I make with these great colors? I thought back to things I've made.  Which pattern would showcase the colors, be fun to knit and make people do a double take.  Then it came to me, Hazel's Grandma's Hat.

You remember Hazel. . .

and Hazel's Grandma. . .

and Hazel's Grandma's Hat, don't you?  I love this pattern.  Here it is made from Twisted Fiber Art's Roy G Biv but what if I made it from the rainbow of North Shore?  I found the pattern (No small feet!) and was on my way.  North Shore really doesn't have the feel of acrylic yarn of yesteryear.  If you close your eyes and don't read the label, you can almost believe it is a natural fiber.  

Well, here it is.  Hazel's Grandma's Hat knit in Cascade North Shore.

 Pretty cute, huh?  I decided to do a little research on the benefits of using acrylic yarn.  There really are many.  Who knew?

Acrylic yarn is generally less expensive than natural fibers so you can knit the same project for less money using acrylic yarn.  Acrylic yarn is literally indestructible.  It is resistant to moths, mildew damage, chemicals, oils and deterioration from sunlight.  It is machine washable and dryable.  For those who are allergic to many natural fibers, it is nonallergenic.  It does not stain.  It will not shrink or felt.  When you put these together, it reminds me of the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee quote, "The only things that will survive the apocalypse are cockroaches, twinkles, and Red Heart 
Supersaver."  

There are a couple of considerations when using acrylic yarn.  You really need to use wood rather than metal needles.  I tried using my beautiful stiletto double points on this hat.  All I did was pick up stitches that slid off each end of the needles.  Really the stickiness of bamboo is perfect for acrylic.  Don't, don't, don't use acrylic yarn for dish cloths, wash cloths or towels even though you can just picture the beautiful colors in a dish cloth.  Acrylic is not thirsty.  All you get done is pushing water around.  Acrylic doesn't breathe like natural fibers so if you are a hot body like me, be prepared to sweat.  

Cascade North Shore has put a small chip in my yarn snobbery.  I must admit that there is a place in the world of knitting for Cascade North Shore.  The first week Ann's By Design was open, someone came in asking for yarn that was hypoallergenic.  At that time we really didn't have anything.  Cascade North Shore would have fit the bill perfectly.  It just shows that you are never too old to learn something, change your paradigm or eat a little crow.  I just did each of those.