Purling Oaks

More and various squares

I was fairly busy this weekend. Let's see....did laundry, cleaned out the "green room" in the basement, grocery shopped, made lemon chicken piccata for Saturday night's dinner (yum), did more laundry, and various other things (see below). I didn't knit yet. Maybe tonight.

I did catch up on my squares for the Square-Deal WAL. I redid my Windowpane Lace square (on the right), and did the Crossroads for week two (in the middle) and the Fancy Weave square for week three (on the left). I have the "bonus" square, Basket Weave, for this week yet to do. At least I'm up-to-date for this WAL. I'm enjoying learning more about weaving patterns. I'm sure a rigid heddle loom is in my future.

I also made Norma's Very Vanilla Shortbread. I was not on my top performance as a blogger since I only remembered to take photos near the end. So, all you get to see are the less than perfect cookies. I don't have a round cookie cutter, so I just cut the shortbread with my handy-dandy dough scraper scrapper cutter. These cookies are not as elegant as Norma's cookies but just as tasty, I'm sure. (Well, not that I consumed any of Norma's cookies, but, you know what I mean.....right?) The perfect ones are all ready boxed up for DH to take to work so I don't eat the entire batch while I'm teleworking this week.
Thank you, Norma! This is the best shortbread cookie recipe, ever. yum I'm definitely going to have to put in the exercise DVD in the player tomorrow for the next century.

MKG meeting and first WAL pattern

Monday night I attended my first Madison Knitter's Guild meeting. I really wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't take them on a test-drive, I just leaped in and signed up on the strength of the speakers. I wasn't disappointed. I didn't count the number of people there but certainly more than 100 attended. I saw familiar faces but in most cases I just couldn't place exactly where I had encountered them before. One LYS and one not as local yarn shop were vendors for the evening. There's a lending library, a help desk for knitting, a charity knitting drop-off place, oh and a swift and skein winder for members to use.

There was also a brown bag exchange, which I bravely participated in. I brought in some stash yarn in a bag and I got a bag with another member's selected stash yarn. We have to make a creative carryall with the other's yarn and return the completed item at a later meeting. Good blogging material, at the very least, and a way to stretch my creativity.

The guest speakers for the evening were Ann Swanson and Katie Nagorney, the creative and all other forces behind Two Old Bags. They were very good speakers and told us how they started their designing adventure, part of what goes into each design, and they shared their finished products with us. I have made a Lucy Bag but I didn't know they designed lace. Oh my, do they do lace. Lovely. And the lace is balanced by clever sock monkeys. They also gave out a free pattern (discontinued) to everyone. Wow.

Then there was show and tell. I'm fortunate to have found an incredibly talented group of knitters. I was alternately awed and then moved to tears by the stories the knitters told about their finished objects. I considered pinching myself. Everyone one I interacted with was very nice and welcoming. I will remember to bring a mindless knitting project to the next meeting. I brought Willliamsro---definitely not mindless knitting yet for me.

Today was a day of trying to fit work in around medical appointments, which required a fair amount of driving to various places. No knitting was accomplished today but I finished the first WAL pattern. There is an error or two if you look closely....so don't. This is my second square ever so it looks good, considering. *g* I'll work the pattern again so I'll have a correct sample.

Williamsro versus Weavette!

The Baby Kimono is almost finished! Here it is pre-blocking: And after blocking but still drying:
As soon as it is dry, I'll seam and add closures. I'm still not quite sure what I want to do for closures. I have ribbon but it isn't too girlie. I may make a run to Jo-Ann Fabrics tomorrow.

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So, with the kimono off the needles, I was free of knitting projects...............for about two hours. I cast-on for Williamsro. I've chosen Noro Cash Iroha in a dark brown for the main color and the 'border' yarn will be Noro Blossom which is a multi-color yarn, primarily in earthtones. Both yarns are held double and the cardigan will be knit essentially in bulky weight, though it doesn't *look* like a bulky yarn. This sweater is my first using charts and cables so I'm looking forward to working with them. I definitely need to wrap my brain around the charts.

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I joined the Square Deal Weave-A-Long this week. I was sucked in after clicking on the link at Stacey's blog. Then I saw all the cool and innovative things you could make with yarn and a small loom and I acquired a new obsession. Oh heck, what's one more? Of course, 4x4 looms are sold out everywhere but ebay. However, I was able to buy a 2x6 and a 4x6 loom from Brigitte at Bahr Creek Llamas & Fiber. I ordered them Friday and they came today! Whoo hoooo!! Now, that is outstanding....from both customer service and immediate gratification perspectives. I did mention obsession, didn't I? *ahem* I may have found a loom or two on that auction site, as well. But they aren't here yet.

Now, I have to launch into the week one pattern of the WAL. Really, go look at Jana's site. She made the coolest knitting project bag with loom squares.