If you don't recognize the plagiarized lyrics to the old song "I've got this feeling that today's the day" by America then I must be much older than you.  But tomorrow is the day for Dick, Jan and Murphy.  We are leaving for our month in Sunset Beach.  Unfortunately, Lucy, my mom, decided she doesn't want to do any more long trips.  This will be our fifth year at the wonderful Coastal Cottage.  Oh, wait!  I bet you want to know what this very large pile of yarn has a to do with our trip.  But then again, you all are getting to know me.  You probably had it all figured out that these are my knitting projects for Sunset Beach.  I had a couple of more I wanted to take but I just thought it would feel better to finish something than to lug home my good intentions along with many balls of yarn.  Do you want to see what I am taking?

You probably don't recognize this, but you will recognize this. . . 

It is my travel knitting from Kansas.  I spent a couple of evenings tinking my beautiful sweater to get this HUGE ball of yarn.  Remember the sweater?

I was right! It is knitting up into a gorgeous afghan.  I think this may be finished by the time we get home.  I have three and a half strips done. I've already started thinking about who this looks like for next Christmas.  NEXT!

This is my gradient blanket from Tess's Fine Yarns.  I think I am about half done so finishing this isn't out of the question.  NEXT!

I bought this from Interweave Knits in the fall and saved it to knit at Sunset Beach.  It is so cute.  Once again, my poor camera skills don't do the red to yellow gradient change justice.  In the fall I really intended to finish this at Myrtle Beach.  Can I really finish the afghan, the gradient blanket and this ??????  I don't know.  I guess it depends on how much it rains and how little I golf.  NEXT!

There is no thought of finishing this.  I will begin my Knit The Sky on January 1, 20016 and finish it on December 31, 2016.  I may have to go to the fabulous Knit 'N Purl in Myrtle Beach so I have something from there in my knit the sky.  I gave Linda and Kathy Knit The Sky kits and they both seemed excited.  We'll have to see who really Knits The Sky.  I don't want to make this into a competition but ladies "LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

I have lots of other projects to take and work on.  I have a book about taking better pictures with an iPad and iPhone.  I bet you all are relieved about that.  Maybe in 2016, my pictures will show actual, true color and you won't have to hear me whine about how bad my pictures are.  I also am taking a couple of books to plan some classes for Ann's By Design.  All in all, it will be a fabulous 31 days.  

I will be checking in on New Year's Day to see how I did on my goals I made last year and to set some new ones for this year.  See you then.

It's Christmas Eve in Michigan and one might think that it looks like this, when really it looks like this. . .

Amazing!  Dick golfed on Tuesday.  I have just started to fret about global warning and knitting.  No matter what, I will always knit with wool, alpaca, cashmere and the like.  If it is 60 in Michigan in the winter, what will happen to all of those adorable winter hats?  I've just purchased a kit for a dragon hat that is too cute for words.  Some day I will finish it and share.

Because of my relatively new philosophy of knitting for Christmas (I knit things I love all year then decide at Christmas who they would like to go to), I really have nothing to do or finish.  Ho Hum!  Kind of boring.  No thrill or adrenaline rush any more but also no stress and less forehead wrinkles from furiously knitting and frowning.  I guess there are positives and negatives with everything.

We just got back from Lawrence, Kansas and of course I visited the the magical Yarn Barn of Kansas.  It's not a surprise that I visited but it is a surprise that I didn't buy anything.  Believe it or not nothing spoke to me. I thought I wanted to buy a new Noro Silk Garden color, but they don't carry Noro and after finding that out I was stumped.  If you have to work hard to fall in love with yarn, there just isn't anything there for you.  

Isn't this exquisite!?!?!?! It's a woven piece Andi bought at an art show.  It is so beautiful, it almost makes me want to try my hand at weaving again.  NOT!    

This is my Mom at her 91st birthday party wearing her gradient shawl.  Doesn't she look beautiful?!?!?!?!!?  She loved the shawl but doesn't want to wear it and ruin it.  I told her if anything happened to it, I would just knit another one.   

On Friday, December 18 at 10:00 Pacific time, Caterpillar Green Yarns opened the online store to take orders.  I could check in at 2:00 our time, but we were in one of those, "Put your devices on airplane mode"  places in the fight.  By the time I was at a place I could check in at 4:00, they were sold out.  Yarn won't go on sale now until May.  I was really looking forward to getting some sock yarn in the gorgeous Cement and Tulips, biting the bullet and finally make socks.  I guess that will have to wait until May.

It's just about time to go get Mom for our Christmas.  Kathy comes on Saturday then on New Year's Eve we head out to the Coastal Cottage in Sunset Beach, North Carolina for a month.  Next week, I'll have all the knitting I am taking figured out.  Until then have a very Merry Christmas.  For all of you who are hurriedly finishing Christmas gifts for tomorrow, I have something words of wisdom.  "Late knitting, wine and a lace pattern are not a good combination."  

We leave tomorrow for Christmas in Kansas.  I will get back to where all of my treasures chose to go for Christmas when we get back.  If it's Christmas in Kansas, what do you think is the first thing I planned for?  TRAVEL KNITTING!!!!!  I've been thinking about our flight to Lawrence and our drive to Sunset Beach for some time trying to decided what my travel knitting will be.  Remember: small project; pattern you don't have to keep referring to; beautiful yarn;  interesting pattern even though it's easy.  I have been watching emails, exploring Pinterest, digging at Revelry, researching Patternfish.  All of a sudden it was there!  The perfect travel knitting pattern.

Isn't it fabulous!?!?!? It is a large enough project that it probably will last through Kansas, Sunset Beach and Maggie Valley.  But when I am done, won't it be an amazing gift for next Christmas!?!?!  I started researching what yarn I wanted to buy.  The pattern uses Rico Poems.  After researching a bit I discovered this is the same gage as NORO SILK GARDEN.  What do I have lots of in the Stash Studio?  NORO SILK GARDEN!  I made a trip up to the Stash Studio to look for the perfect Silk Garden.  I just love Silk Garden but none of the colors I have would give me the effect I was looking for.  Then I thought of this. . . 

This is the fabulous, discontinued color #50.  I love this.  I love it so much that 12 years ago I decided to make a jacket out of it.  And here it is. . .

Isn't it beautiful?  I loved knitting this.  The combination of the black Noro Cash Iroha and the Silk Garden blew me away.  

It was knit in strips so it in its self was the perfect travel knitting.  As a matter of fact, it was my travel knitting on a trip to San Antonio for the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.  It is so compact that I could even knit in the cab on the way from the airport to our exquisite Bed and Breakfast.  After we had been shown the B & B and taken to our room, I realized I didn't have my knitting.  I LEFT IT IN THE CAB.  Almost a whole strip.  As diligent as we were, we never found the cab or my knitting.  Too Bad, So Sad!  The worst part was, I had to go four days without knitting.  As you can see, I have the body done even knitted together.  I was working on the sleeves when I lost interest.  As soon as I saw this yarn, I knew this is what I wanted to use for the Ten Stitch Zigzag Afghan.  SOOOOO, when we get back from Lawrence, I will complete the biggest TINK (that is knit spelled backwards and is what you call unknitting) I have done to date.  I told people at Ann's By Design what I had planned and a collective shiver went through the group.  It is beautiful but I will never wear.  Knitting with two yarns like this is like having two layers of worsted yarn.  My body doesn't need the extra layer of yarn for two reasons: 1) I am always hot and this makes me perspire just looking at it and 2) it is 2 layers of yarn for a body that doesn't need the look of an extra layer.  So, this. . .

will become something that looks like this. . .

What do you think?  I always feel great when I can go to the Stash Studio and find the perfect yarn rather than buying.  But I feel really great because I am recycling a yarn I love rather than just letting it stay in a tub.  

We leave tomorrow at noon getting into Kansas City at about 1:30.  Donn, Dick's brother, will be taking me out to lunch because my Spartans beat his Jayhawks in basketball a few weeks ago.  I also will be visiting The Yarn Barn of Kansas.  I may not post while we are gone because it is so awkward to post from a phone.  I've decided not to take my iPad or MacBook to simplify things.  I hope you all are finishing your Christmas knitting with joy and without stress.

Remember this?  It is my stairway to heaven.  It is the staircase to my Stash Studio.  Today I made the trip for a very special reason.  A trip that I make every year.  A trip that I look forward to every Christmas.  My friends and knitting buddies all find this very humorous.  I told this story last Christmas, but I will retell it because it is, well, it is Christmas.  

I seldom (I know you can never say never) knit specific things for specific people for Christmas any more.  I knit things I love all year long then at Christmas I make my trip up the stairway to heaven and my little treasures tell me where they want to go for Christmas.  I made my trip today.  WOW!!!  I really had a lot of neat things.  I also have some new people I want to share my love of knitting with.  Well, here we go.  Here is where my treasures want to go.

You remember Evie, don't you.  She is my best friend from college.  I love knitting for her because she is not a knitter and she thinks everything I do is magic.  As I looked at my treasures, it was really very obvious which would become a resident of Harrison Township.

This is an afghan made out of the beautiful Noro Kureyon and Debbie Bliss that has been my go to travel knitting for a couple of years.  I finished it and it was even more spectacular than I thought it would be.  I want this to be something that Butch and Evie cuddle up under when they watch TV.  I love this thing and am so glad it is going to someone I have loved for a very long time.  Of course, Evie will also get one of my Christmas candy purses.  

​Now let's see where the next little beauty is going to go.

This is a beautiful cowl made out of Cascade Casablanca.  Oh, by the way, Cascade has discontinued Casablanca.  I can't believe it.  I love this yarn.  But then again, I am a sucker for gradient yarns.  I bought three of every colorway because, you know, I never will be able to buy this again and what if I decide I really want to make another one of these beautiful cowls.!?!?!?!?!?!  This will be going to the stylish, gorgeous Carmen who styles my hair.  I have been going to Carmen for a very long time.  Her daughter is a sophomore in college and Danielle was in preschool the first time Carmen cut my hair.  I always knit something for Carmen for Christmas.  In the beginning, I would decide what I wanted to make for her then frantically try to finish it before my December haircut.  I have pulled all nighters trying to finish Carmen's gift.  If you haven't ever done that, it's not a great idea.  The best work is never done at 1:30 a.m.  Now that I have my new system, short cuts are never taken so something gets finished.  Things are always finished is the most professional way.  I always give Carmen something with a little pizazz. 

I just wanted you to see a beautiful skein of Casablanca.  Why, oh, why, did Cascade discontinue it!?!?!?!?!  Maybe I'll write to the company and ask.  

I just love this and after working in a store that is partly quilting, it reminds me of a quilt piece.  So this will be going to Kathy Tripp, quilter extraordinaire. I can't wait to give it to her.  As I look at this beautiful scarf, I see some ends that need to be hidden. Hiding ends is not my favorite part of knitting but it has to be done.

My treasures have a mind of their own.  I had something else in mind for my new knitting buddy Dawn.  But as I went through all of my beauties, this delicate beautiful shawl kept yelling, "Me! Me! She would like me better!"  And you know I think it is right.  Dawn would love this much more than what I had originally picked out.  

I can just see Dawn in this on a summer's day.  It will look beautiful on her.

I have three more stories that will wait until the next post.  See you then.

I have been out of commission since the last time I wrote.  My best friend and soulmate, Dick, shared his flu with me and I've felt like crap.  To say I was under the weather would only be accurate it the weather was a hurricane in the Mohave Desert.  Sore throat, deep cough, temp.  It hasn't been pretty, but it is over.  Luckily we got Mom home before we shared with her.

Now on to knitting.  I have talked many, many, many times about my new love affair with gradient yarns.  Through that obsession I have discovered Twisted Fiber Arts, Tess Design Yarns, Wollelfe, Skeino and my Mom's birthday present.  

First let's look at Wollelfe.  

Once again my poor photography does not do this gorgeous yarn justice. It is a yummy dark teal slowly, every so slowly fading to cream.  I found this on my new favorite technology, Pinterest.  To say I am obsessed with Pinterest is a vast understatement.  Pinterest feeds my gradient yarn obsession.  Sometime, go to Pinterest and search gradient yarn.  You will see the beauty out there.  You probably will see many of the things I have showed you lately.  I don't know what I want to do with this.  It is part of my enormous collection of UDY (undesignated yarn.)  Someday I will find the perfect pattern and I will be ecstatic  

The fabulous Twisted Ladies at Twisted Fiber Arts are back at work.  Instead of doing a "Go Fund Me" when they had their fire, they created a limited edition yarn called Phoenix which they died only for those people who want to help them get back on their feet.  Well, of course, I was one of those people.  Now , TATA, here it is. . .

Here is the exquisite up from the ashes, Phoenix.  The two large cakes are my very favorite Twisted Fiber Art yarn, Arial which is a sock weight, super wash merino.  As I got this out to photograph I thought, "Why didn't I buy more?"  Because some day it will be gone and it can never be replaced.  I am just about having a panic attack just saying those words.  The bottom yarn is also Phoenix but it is fingering weight Muse which is 50% silk and 50% merino.  The silk softens the colors.  Phoenix will never be part of the TFA offerings.  It was a once in a life time experience.  Maybe if I told the Twisted Ladies about the pains I get in my chest every time I even think that, they would bring the color back.  This also is UDY.  And it will probably always be UDY because I can't imagine using it then being without.  Do I sound pitiful or what ?!?!?!?!?!

​Now, I will show you the beautiful birthday present I made for Mom.  Once again, it is gradient.  I am truly obsessed!

​

The is the Skeino Arabella Shawl in Aqua.  When I first saw this, I knew I had to make it.  Then one day Mom said that Lois, one of her friends at the independent living facility had a new shawl and it was really pretty.  I said, "Mom would you like a shawl?" and she said, "That would be nice."  So when I saw this I thought, "MOM!"  It was so much fun to make.  Skeino sends a braid of 12 colors that blend into each other.  There is 100 yards of each color which is just enough to make the little section.  I really bought 2 braids, one called Aqua and one called Purples.  I really wasn't satisfied with the colors in the Aqua so I blended the two together.  I love this.  There are many, many color choices.  The kits are so inexpensive at $69.00.

I do think she will love this and will wear it proudly with all of her friends.  If any of you know my Mom her birthday is December 12 and she will be 91.  I know she would love a card.

​Tomorrow I am going to make my yearly trip to the Stash Studio to let my treasures tell me who they want to go to for Christmas.  I will share their decisions with you next time.