Successful Retreat!

The knitting retreat and getaway weekend was a huge success, IMO. The Lodge was very nice and relaxing to say the least. My room suite was incredible. As a matter of fact, as soon as I checked in I informed everyone that I was never leaving. Thanks to DF Heather for the snaps, since I forgot my camera!
The bathroom was almost as large as the bedroom! I took advantage of the jacuzzi tub Friday night! I took advantage of the chocolate on the pillows every night!!


Friday night we had a wine and cheese get-together and the hostesses handed out many door prizes. Heather won a beautiful purse, I won a large candle:
The candle is not as nice as the purse, but I consider it a win over the bird clock (which I felt sure to win).

Saturday morning was our Herringbone Block class with Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton. I didn't completely get the 1st block done, but I did make some progress:
Here are Heather and I with our pieces and the teacher's piece:

Now that I have seen it, I have decided to save my Cherry Tree Hill for another project, the color changes are too often in my CTH. So much for trying to use yarn out of my stash, what was I thinking?!

During our lunch break, we ran out and did some shopping. I found this beautiful shawl pin for the Nicky Epstein Medallion Capelet (guess that I have to finish it now!):
We ran out of shopping time and were even late to the 1st afternoon class. We decided that next year we really need to come early or stay late and enjoy the quaint town of Highlands, NC more. Intarsia was the next class and this class disappointed me in some ways. First, the description had stated that we were going to learn intarsia on a purse pattern. So, I immediately got this color idea in my head (of teal and winter white) and was very excited. But....we did not get a purse pattern - or any other pattern. And by being late, Heather and I were separated from the class at another table.

The last class on Saturday was the Nicky Epstein Medallion Capelet. I started this one 3 times - the first two times were on the DPNs as the pattern instructed and the last time was on the circulars using the Magic Loop (thanks Heather!). All of my knitting on this over the weekend was ripped, but here is what the first medallion looks like today:
That's about halfway through the pattern.

There was just enough time before dinner to run over to the shop and peruse some yarn. What would a knitting retreat be without some stash enhancement anyway?

I found some Noro to start the Herringbone Block scarf (more will be required later, but the beauty of this piece is that you can use different color combinations). This Noro is Silk Garden.
And some yarn for a new shrug - Debbie Bliss Bolero Jacket:
Saturday dinner was fabulous - Heather did a great job blogging about the food, so please visit her site for in depth descriptions and pics. It was all yummy. So yummy, in fact, that I had no room for the free Dove bar Saturday night.

Sunday morning we had a short talk by Cornelia and I was inspired by several of her designs (IOW had to order yarn to make one of her designs, coming soon). She gave us a purse pattern and I stitched several rows, but haven't made a lot of progress.

I wish that I could say that the weekend was uneventful other than the above, but several of you know that I chased after Matthew McConaughey demonstrated my clumsiness and fell down the stairs and sprained both of my ankles. So, it's back to laying on the couch for me!

Knitting Retreat Check List

Some of you have read DF Heather's post and know that we are going on a knitting retreat this weekend (to Highlands, NC). I cannot wait!! I, too, don't know what to expect - but I know what not to expect: work! I will be out of town, and not working...woo hoo! I was not so crazy determined to not purchase new stash (although my moratorium is coming soon). So, in preparation for the weekend I have completed my check list:

1. New suitcase
Check!

2. Cascade 220 and Ultra Alpaca for Intarsia project/workshop
Check!

3. Hand Painted Yarn Merino Bulky in Sodalita for Nicky Epstein's Medallion Capelet
Check! And OMG if you could only run your fingers through it!

4. Manos del Uruguay Kettle Dyed Wool for Sunday morning Designer Challenge
Check! I have to admit that I did have a little bit of guilt on this one, but I feel good about supporting the organization who produced this yarn, they are a non profit and their mission "is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women".

5. Cherry Tree Hill DK in Blueberry Hill for Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton's Herringbone Block Pattern project/workshop

One
Two
Three

Check!

There are other less exciting things on the checklist...and they are complete too. (Just for you Jean) Check-Check!

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand (or at least a few) Words

This is an interesting exercise that I saw on Heather's blog. I (also) picked pix that were illustrative of the answers, but that's not necessary. Can you guess the answers?

Here's how you do it: answer the questions and type your answer into Google images search. Post a photo from the FIRST results page.

Age you will be on your next birthday?
Place you would like to visit?

One of your favorite places?

Your favorite object?

Your favorite food?

Your favorite animal?

Your favorite color?

Name of a past pet?

Where you live?

First grade teacher’s last name? (I can't believe this actually found several images!)

Your middle name?

A bad habit of yours?

Favorite flower?

Favorite Holiday?

What would you rather be doing now? (I added this one)

Snow Weekend

I tried to take advantage of the snow weekend... We didn't get that much snow as anticipated, but it was very pretty coming down and laying on the grass and trees.


I did some knitting on super secret knitting project. I cannot show picture, for obvious reason.

Then I did some knitting on Booga Bag. It's coming along very slowly...


I did some thinking about working on the first sock from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters book - including which yarn I want to use, cuz I have so much sock yarn to choose from! Hmmm...not much to show for my thinking...

I did some prep work on super secret stitching project. Now if I could just find the @#$%! chart! Again, picture is not available.

I found and printed out several teddy bear patterns to knit for charity. I hope to start one this week.

I knit two rows of K1 P1 ribbing for my shrug, then noticed a mis-stitch, cursed politely sighed and ripped the entire thing, cast on and knit 1st row again.



I did a little stitching on Wooly Winter.


What else did I do with these hours stuck at home? Well - I spent too much time on Ravelry. I received the list of class options for the WKKH retreat and had to do some investigation and discussion to make a decision. I caught up on several hours of tv and watched Ladder 49 (which I have had since August!!), I guess that Netflix is making money on me. And then there's the sinus headache that I had. So spent too much time, laying around, sleeping, and groaning (and probably complaining). I really need a replacement day for Sunday! Now, how can I arrange that?

SBQ

This week's SBQ:

What is your favorite past time while stitching? Do you just enjoy
silence, listen to music/audiobooks or do you "watch" TV/movies? Do
you have specific favorites you listen to/watch while stitching?

I have to say that my favorite stitching (and knitting) past time is watching football. I love college football, but also follow a few favorite NFL teams. The reason that this is my favorite stitching past time is because you don't have to pay attention to every second. I can actually pay more attention to my stitching and watch the tv when the excitement rises in the announcers voices - btw, it takes a keen ear to know "real" excitement versus just another play excitement. This is a skill that has taken years to master, and I am still occasionally fooled. My 2nd favorite would be watching tv or a movie. Reality shows are especially nice for stitching. I have learned that watching certain tv shows while stitching is a waste of time for both - I end up rewinding too often, missing important subtitles or subtext, or totally miss a stitch as I an engrossed with the show. The first of these shows was Alias and, now, Heroes falls into that category as well.

What's That Smell?

So I had a slow leaking tire, and I went to Kauffman Tire and (of course) had to purchase a new tire - I can never be lucky enough to have a problem that can be plugged... While I was sitting there waiting on my car, I noticed something unusual.


I know, right? Lavender Scented Tires?! C'mon!

Being the curious person that I am, I had to smell. And it did smell like lavender! Not newly poured tar or rubber or bleak...but lovely lavender!

If you think that I have photoshopped this pic or staged this, or are just curious for more...check out:
Kumho Releases Scented Tires, World Scratches Head
or
Kumho Passenger Tires

I really don't understand a world where they can put lavender smell into a tire, but are unable to rectify Atlanta traffic!

Guilt Free January

Yes, I took two weeks off from the blog. Call it part of my hiding from the real world - and denial of returning to the real world. Now I see that there is no hiding. Work came, and bills came, and no one is here to cook for me (any longer) so grocery shopping and cooking came. Big Sigh.

This month's theme, however, is Guilt Free January. So, while others are out there attempting to destash and organize, I have embraced the Guilt Free-ness by starting a new stitching project (Wooly Winter by Shepherd's Bush), purchasing more sock yarn, casting on for a shrug (with more new yarn from the end of the year sale), not to mention knitting a new scarf (only to determine that it was too short - and now ripping and rewinding are being performed by Jean and Richard). And I've also been knitting on my Booga Bag, trying to do a row or two whenever I can.

Now don't get me wrong. I completely understand the need to destash and organize. And I, too, have these needs. But I must stay true to the monthly theme. Also, according to another friend, this is the Year of Abundance. It's hard to destash and embrace abundance.

It is January and being such I do yearn to need to set some goals for the year. And, in no particular order, they are:

1. Read 50 books - I joined the Book Challenge Group on Ravelry and am keeping track of my reads on goodreads.com (Jillnole)
2. Finish 12 things (3 of them UFO's) - I don't feel that I can detail which or how many stitching vs knitting, but I do know that I need to finish more this year than last.
3. Complete my JCS ornament stitching by April 30.
4. Be ready to knit a sweater - this means finishing one of my smaller sweaterish projects like the shrug (above) or sleeveless sweater or vest.
5. To not be left out of the destashing, I will not purchase any new stash in Feb and March (that's Feb 1 - March 31). I'd like to go cold turkey like Heather, but I'm afraid that might send me into some unrecoverable shock.
6. Clean out my rubber stamps and sell unneeded ones on eBay.

In terms of Abundance, it will (hopefully) come in the joy that I receive from completing each of these and in the occasional chocolate fix.

Carry on you destashers and organizers! I'll be joining you soon, but for now I'm waiting for my UPS man and Postman.