A Little Chuckle~ a post from Kelli

If you happen to visit Ana Cross-Stitch in downtown Anacortes Washington, you'll be welcomed at the door by this poor guy (my husband found this on the internet)~ 

But don't miss the other side, of our window display...  my boss saw this cartoon in a local  newspaper and got permission from the artist to draw up it in our window.

 Bring it!!!  My boss Kristi has a great sense of humor and can draw/create as well as she knits! 

 

  NO Melissa that's not me sitting knitting, in the blue pock-a dot dress, someday maybe?!!!

Autumn Leaves - by guest blogger WillyG

I can just hear Mel Torme crooning "Autumn Leaves" right now.

Now that the gorgeous autumn weather is back and several knitting deadlines have passed, I am back on the wagon for finishing my Leaves of Grass.  Yeah, remember that thing?

Apparently I've turned into one of those people who takes pictures of their knitting on top of their cats to garner extra attention. Or maybe it's that pictures of a large round piece of lace still in progress all kinda end up looking the same.  But if you look stop looking at Jake and examine the lace closely, you can see that I just finished the first repeat of Chart D!!  One more to go... then again, I could do like some unnamed person and call it done and ready for applying the border.  (wink, wink, elbow in the ribs)

One of the highlights of this past weekend's trip to the sheep and wool festival in Rhinebeck was getting to meet one of our very own in person, all the way from Colorado! I think I may have referred to this previously, but I am once again reminded how our knitting -- and especially our knit-a-long-ing -- has the capacity to connect us, even in a way that somewhat reflects the musings of Walt Whitman in one of his poems.  Rather than quote the same poem again, permit me to link you to a previous post in which I shared it. Looking back on it, I realize that not a lot has changed.  I'm still working on Leaves of Grass, I'm still stuck on the same poem, and I'm still poking fun at someone who beat me to the finish line. Well, okay, a few more of you have joined the ranks of completion since that post.  Are there actually any others of you still working on Leaves of Grass?

Oh, speaking of Rhinebeck and people who actually finished LOG, Jeff has some news, but I think I'll try to egg him into sharing it himself.

Happy autumn, and happy knitting!

Retreat 2013 ~ a post from Kelli

Retreating with my Thursday knitting group, and others we don't see as often, was wonderful, but not perfect because this year didn't work out  for my good buddy Melissa.

 

 Full of stories of the past year, tons of laughter.  Oh yes the food!  We do have a wonderful charity  we donate too, the Friendship House, a local safe house for women and children.  1515.00 was raised through silent auction, donations we bring~

Even with a brace, still healing from a broken bone...you go Joanne!

Our youngest retreat-er Jennifer Ham, we surprised her with a baby shower.  We'll have to wait till the end of this year to see the little boy they call Hamlet.  Baby Showers made up of knitters are the best.  This darling cabled sweater came from Lois, a former LYS owner, the reason we all know each other.  

Knitting away for my nephew's 4th birthday. A Madtosh mitten,

 Don't think we were above getting kicked outside, to listen to our hometown Seahawks (WIN!) and listen to the game.  Here Lisa is helping me figure out how to get the radio station on my phone.  I am tech-challenged~

Here's what I finished up at the retreat~ it's my first Ishbel. 

 

 

 I'm blessed to know and be supported by these talented, caring women.  If you are part of a group embrace it, hopefully it's just like mine, through good times and bad, we all have a bridge with knitting, but really it so much more!

ahhhhh ~ posted by Melissa

 


Sometimes life doesn't go as planned.  I had hopes in the last month and a half of sharing pictures and stories of birthday hikes and a long overdue getaway vacation with my husband, but darn it all, the hike still hasn't happened and the vacation started but was abruptly cut short.  I'm back to dreaming about both, and plotting and planning just how we can make them happen sometime in the near future.  So with big plans set on the back burner for the time being, I've been working hard and tending to things at home.  And knitting.  And knitting some more.

I finished Quill today!  It was so hard to put down by the time I got to the lace edging!  It just needs blocking but I need a sunny day (hopefully tomorrow) so that I can spread it out on the lawn til it's mostly dry and then move it inside or it will never dry.  It's G R A N D !!!  I was hoping for a blanket large enough to cover my husband and I've ended up with one that will engulf us both ~ sweet!

I can't wait to see it completely done and I do think I've managed to finish in time to get some pictures outside with the amazing fall leaves that haven't yet dropped from their branches.  I'll post as soon as I do ~ I'm excited to share this monumental undertaking with you ~hehe!

Until then, it's back to work on my Rachel's Shawl.  As much as I enjoyed working on Quill and will miss it, I'm just as excited to get back to some other projects.

 

Happy fall, happy weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Melissa

I (heart) fall ~ by guest blogger Steph

I had all these great intentions on being a diligent blogger, but life has a way of coming up with the unexpected and that is how my fall has gone. Things are finally starting to slow down and I have a moment to breathe and just enjoy the beautiful and dry fall day in Seattle, oh and I am ready to start the knit on lace on my Quill. I even managed to make some pumpkin pies today.



I hope every one is doing well and enjoying their weekend. oh and a big congrats to Mel on publishing her 1st pattern.

All the best,

Steph

a change of heart & a giveaway ~ posted by Melissa

 

I've changed my mind about the yarn I'm using for my Rachel's Shawl.  Instead of the aran weight version I originally planned , I'm going to use the above yarn ~ Ella Rae Lace Merino held double.  As much as I love Rowan Felted Tweed, I think it's going to be too scratchy around my neck and the Ella Rae fingering weight is super soft and squishy...and autumn colors to boot!  Mmmmmm ~ much better.  I'm casting on again this evening and think I'll be much happier with the finished result.

 

And since it is officially Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Rachel has decided to try, with all her super mighty rock star powers, to get another surge of pattern sales while the proceeds are going towards her charity.  She is hosting a giveaway on her blog, Twist Your Stitches.  Pop on over and take a peek ~ and if you have the time, included in the giveaway post is an interview she did with yours truly (I dislike talking about myself but this was kind of fun!).

 

Don't forget, all proceeds from the Rachel's Shawl pattern are still going to Rachel's charity through the end of October, and the pattern is available for purchase to Ravelry & non-Ravelry members alike at this link. 

 

Thanks to everyone who supported the cause in September ~ we sold 113 patterns last month ~ that's $452 raised so far!  The ripple effect has been amazing and the stories and messages both Rachel & I have heard and received have been beyond imagination.  I know I can speak for her when I say we're both overwhelmed by the encouragement and kindness and the wonderful womanly camaraderie that we're experiencing tackling an issue that at some point or another affects us all.

 

YOU ARE ALL AMAZING!!!!  Thank you :)

Melissa