Feature Friday: Just Barely!

Yikes, it's late! I'm sneaking this post in before Saturday, but just barley. I don't have a specific pattern to feature today, so I thought I'd tell you about a few things keeping me busy!

• Mini samplers got dyed today and I just might do this monthly. There are so many colors I wanted to include but couldn't! What do you think? 
• I was assigned my booth number for the winter TNNA! Let the planning begin!!
• Best of the Northwest is going great! I think all the goodies are picked out, I can't wait to have my own box!
• I'm pretty sure Golden Delicious and Purple want to be made into a striped something. Maybe a juicy cowl. 
• I'm driving to California on Wednesday with the boys. Super excited for our road trip! Knitted Wit will be at Lambtown!!

Gotta get in two stitches before bed!

WIP Wednesday: Hiro Petite KAL

Have you started knitting your Hiro? I am smitten with this pattern! I started with the sleeves as my gauge swatch. I've decided to go with small needles and knit a giant size. I really prefer the fabric of the smaller needles

Giant project bag from A Needle Runs Through It. Convo her for your own sweater box bag!

The swatch on the left is the smaller needles. The one on the right is a little too loosey goosey. 

My wonderful Rockefeller is cruising along. I am on the i-cord bind off and loving it!

This fun little hat is headed to the purple hat campaign. Still plenty of time to knit one up!

I squeezed in a little update for the shop this afternoon, Shine, Cashy Lite, and Silky N Plied are available! I start dyeing up colors for the Mini Sampler, make sure you sign up quick, they'll be shipping Monday!

Tell Me Something Good Monday: OFFF

Wow, what a weekend!! Thank you to everybody that stopped by. I had such a great time connecting with you all and seeing all the lovely knits. I truly look forward to this weekend all year and I can't wait for 2013!!

I managed to cast on my Hiro Petite for the fall KAL on the drive out Saturday. I'm off to a pretty great start! I'm keeping this short so I can sneak a few rows in before bed. Happy knitting!

Feature Friday: Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival

I hope your weekend plans include a visit to Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival!! I am so excited for this weekend. 

Brooke, from Sincere Sheep is already here! Michelle Miller, from Fickle Knitter, gets here today! Our booth is going to be one fun party all weekend long.

I'll have new colors, new yarn and sale bins galore. We'll be out on the lawn facing the barn, I'll see you soon!

WIP Wednesday: Actual Projects!

On our work-cation to Seattle I got some knitting done. I finished up my Fauve Hat, super love it! I need to sew in the ends, but it's a cute little hat. I'll have kits at OFFF for you to pick your own colors!

Fauve Hat modeled by a monkey

My Rockefeller shawl is going so great! I have 4 rows of brown and then the bind off. Clue 3 is so close to being done!! After this clue 4 is just striped wings. Easy Peasy. I'm feeling pretty good about casting on for Petite Hiro on Saturday. Alright, back to knitting. I want to get through these 4 rows!!

Tell Me Something Good Monday: Our Dog

We had a beautiful weekend in Seattle and a great time with everyone at Fiber Gallery! Thank you so much to everybody that came out and visited!! There are some beautiful projects about to happen.

Sunday morning at Golden Gardens park. 

While we were in Seattle our dog Jake went up to Oma's house for the weekend. Jake is a german shepherd and a pretty serious one. He was a show dog as a puppy and won blue ribbons, but his trainer had an incident with him and returned him to Eric's aunt, the breeder. We got him at about 1 1/2 in 2005. So, we're driving home and Oma calls me to let me know how the weekend went. 

Oma and Jake got up to the mountain, they live near Welches on Mount Hood, and she showed Jake where the water was. She was about to play some fetch to wear him out before putting him in the pin and her girl shepherd gave a growl on the other side of the door. Oma has two girl dogs that tend to beat up on Jake now that he's a little older. We all know this and keep them separate. Well, the growl was enough to spook Jake. He bolted! Oma hopped in the trekker to go find him and checked in with the neighbor who saw him run by. All night they called for him but he didn't show up. 

The next day they get a call from the Clackamas County Animal Shelter, Jake had been found. An elderly couple that volunteers at the humane society decided it was the perfect day to go for a drive on Mt Hood. They found Jake one mile east of Sandy, 15 miles from Oma's house. He was on the south side of highway 26, so we think he didn't cross the highway. He was headed home!

We are so grateful that someone stopped and helped our dog and knew what to do! Jake is chipped and they were able to track him to us. Since we aren't able to get in touch with the couple, I thought I'd shout it from the blog to the universe, thank you. We are so happy our dog is safe at home! Yay technology and kind people!

Owen being silly at the restaurant! 

small disclaimer on this post, I've caught the crud from the kids. If this story isn't complete in some way I apologize! 

Future WIP Wednesday: Mini Skein Club

Welp, I thought of some more fun we could have! What do you think about a mini skein club?! I'm a little excited!! What's your favorite thing to knit with mini skeins? Are you making a Beekeeper's Quilt? I would love to make seat cushions! Or what about teeny tiny things? Lets get knitting!
Here's what you'll get when you sign up:

these are a sample of the colors, not what will be shipped

• 15 seasonal color mini skeins, most will be semi solid with a few variegated colors incorporating the semi solids. Think falling leaves, maybe some halloween fun!
• Each skein will be 45 yards, enough to knit 3 hexi puffs.  
• You can purchase as many memberships as you want, but the total is capped at 50. Mini skeins take a lot of time and work!
• Of course there will be some fun little ditties snuck in there 

a sample of the colors, not what will be shipped

I will be offering this again January 1st, taking a dive into winter colors. Returning members will have first dibs! Have questions? Let me know! Sign ups are open! 

As for my current WIP, I haven't made a dent on my mystery shawl. Ughs. But I am just about to cast off on  my Fauve hat! I just need some dpn to finish the top of the hat. Then I promise to get back to the shawl! I want to get a majority of clue 3 done before starting Petite Hiro for the KAL.

And if you're already dreaming of the weekend, don't forget you can see me and all the pretty yarn at Fiber Gallery! Saturday and Sunday we'll be surrounded by lovely yarn!

Tell Me Something Good (Tuesday): 9/11

There are many reasons I didn't get a post together for Monday, but mainly I wanted to talk about 9/11/2012. This year marks 11 years since the event. I've seen advertising for volunteering and making the day a day of service. I think this is a beautiful idea. What are you going to do? I've wanted to do different service days with the kids but not sure how to participate. I would love suggestions. Here is to a more peaceful world. Full of understanding and acceptance.

Feature Friday: Knitted Wit

I'm so sleepy and I want to knit! So I'm keeping it short and highlighting a few of my favorites in the shop. Happy Weekend!!!

These colors make my eyes so happy! If you're interested in full skeins or would like the color on a different yarn please let me know!

Straight up fall! I would love to knit up a striped blanket in these colors!

I'm knitting a cowl in this right now. I love it! The blue pops out and makes a great contrast!

Work in Progress Wednesday

Can I just say, September?! What?! This is just crazy! I did get through to clue 3, yay! I'm having a little trouble carving out time to keep working on it, but I'm going to keep on keeping on. I keep seeing ones finished and they're beautiful! (Rereading this I'm realizing you might not know what I'm talking about. I promise to put up a picture of my Rockafeller shawl next time!)

These guys have been keeping me busy of course. Eli starts preschool friday and I'm just a little excited. But I'm really sad my teenager baby sitter started school this week. This mama needs a break! It's crazy how a pile of dirt and a few cars can keep these kids busy! It did require a bath half way through the day though. Some how they both ended up pantsless. It wasn't pretty or clean.

Bing Cherry, Paprika, Yams, Toffee Crunch, Salted Caramel

I've also made some new pretties for the shop. I've wanted to expand the colors I offer to yarn shops, so I've started with fall pretties. I'm so in love! Hope over to the shop and pick up a sampler pack. 

I managed to loose one of my project bags yesterday so I lined up my next project. No, that's totally normal. Right? The picture is a bit weird, but I think the hat is going to be smashing. There will be loads of kits to make your own at OFFF! 

I might have also wound up yarn to make Owen's sweater. I'm a little excited to get started!! Thursday is the last day to get your sweater order in time to cast on for the fall equinox. If you have any questions about color or quantity let me know!

Tell Me Something Good Monday: Days For Girls

Days For Girls (DfG) was one of my inspirations for doing this type of blog post. They are an inspiring non profit making a difference in girl's daily lives. The idea is giving girls and women the independence to live their daily life with out it being interrupted by a menstrual cycle. I'll just say it, I never considered this. Girls and women living with out access to pads and tampons are stuck at home for a week. That means 12 weeks a year girls aren't in school. 12 weeks a year women aren't going to work and earning money. This is crazy!

Days For Girls steps in with sewn pads, bags and ziplock bags to change this. Such a simple idea, but it is making a big difference. Along with providing materials, DfG does training with men and women about how the body works, sexually transmitted disease prevention, and general community building. These freshly trained people then go back to their community and pass on the knowledge. Does it get any better?! Yes! With you!! Please visit their website and see where you fit in. Like to find bargains? Stock up on ziplock bags when they go on sale. They're the perfect mini washing machine. Have left over fabric? Get to sewing pads and other goodies to help.

Quick updates:

• The winner of Lee Meredith's new hat patter, Wobble Bass, is...Eileen Brokaw! She likes the Carbon and French Kiss together, totally agree! Eileen, tell me your Rav name and I'll send it over!
• Today is the l.a.s.t. day to join Community Supported Yarn. The first yarn is all ready to go in the dye pots on Tuesday! 500 glorious yards of merino/cashmere/nylon to start the party! 
• Thursday is the last day to get your order in for yarn for the Hiro sweater for the fall KAL. You can order after Thursday of course, but it might not be ready for cast on. 
• Have you seen the shop?! A few new pretties were added!!