Can't come up with a catchy title

My annual cold arrived last week. I'm still doing the last bit of sniffling today.

There were 6 of us working on Saturday at Ewe Knit Kits. The new location is wonderful! Lots of room to see everything. A second cash register so there were almost no lines. Between the Library and the Classroom tables lots of space to spread out.

We're now carrying yarns and books by Jaeger and Rowan. Pretty cottons and cotton ribbons.

I'm burned out on KnittaPalooza samples! Decided to stop for a while.

Sunday began as overcast so I quickly got my usual activities accomplished and planned an afternoon of knitting and movies. I frogged the faux lace scarf I had begun for my 2nd neice and decided on a different pattern (self fringing) and different yarn (Sirdar Donegal Tweed). I spent the afternoon with Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal and Tom Hanks and knitted away. Took a break and cooked dinner (turkey burgers, salad) and went back to the tv and knitting. By the time Allan Shore had smirked his last smirk I had used up the 2 skeins I had in my stash. So I'll run out to Ewe Knits at lunch and pick up 2 more.

A note about the Donegal Tweed. I had tried knitting with it using the size 6 needles suggested by the DK weight. Hated the results. Very very stiff fabric. So I moved to size 9 needles and am enjoying the drape. I may pick up some red tweed for myself. The red is really nice.

Sally's Favorite Summer Sweater is on hold. Not really calling my name right now. Oh well, there's next summer to wear it.

This comming weekend Tidewater Knitting Guild of Va is sponsoring classes with Margaret Fisher. On Saturday it's "Scarves and Stoles from Start to Finish" and "Seven Things That Can Make or Break a Sweater". On Sunday "Head Turning Hats". I've signed up for both days, all 3 classes. My homework is done!

Found Sunday

I raced around Friday evening getting all of my Sunday errands done... groceries, laundry, cooking, cleaning....the usual stuff...because I had expected to be moving yarn across the parking lot on Sunday....boy was I surprised.

Walked into the old location for Ewe Knit Kits and Yarn on Saturday morning to pick up the felting samples for my class which was to be held in the new location and was surprised to see.... an empty room! With the exception of the cash register, the moving fairies had moved all of the yarn, books, shelves, samples down to the new location. At 10:00 a.m. it looked liked a hurricane had blown threw. Boxes, upturned tables, stacks of glass shelving, chairs and clutter everywhere.

I concentrated on the "training" area. Getting tables and chairs set right, hunting up the felted samples, extra supplies for the class and by 10:30 class was underway. 2 hours later, we emerged from the quiet corner and into an almost setup yarn store.

Windows were washed, glass shelves setup, yarn in their appointed cubby holes, customers shopping and the cash register ringing up sales. It was beautiful the way everything fell into place. Even with everything topsy-turvey, it was a good day for sales.

We now have a wall of Cascade yarns! Twice as much shelving space for books and patterns and table and chairs setup so you can sit and peruse to your hearts content....as a few of our customers did on Saturday. All of the "novelty" yarns are together. We're expecting a big shipment of Lorna's Laces Worsted Weight yarns. All of the Addi's are on one wall, shelving is available for winders and kits and fun things.

And the shipping / holding area is three times as big! And the office has 3 desks!! And there are 2 cash register stands.

Now to find the right place for swift and ball winder.....

And so my Sunday was free. Bailey got a bath, the car got a quick rinse off, the back yard was de-gumballed, and knitting was done.

And James Spader is getting his own tv show!

Weekend sound bites

Locked In
I wasn't there, but I heard that the door into Ewe Knits got stuck on Friday. With customers inside. Wouldn't budge. (Think the overnight weather change from 40 to 80 had anything to do with it???) Arriving customers pulled while imprisoned yarn sellers pushed. Finally it opened! And with the maintenance people called and the door propped opened yarn was sold. But someone closed the door and once again customers were forced to continue looking at yarn while yarn sellers took the screwdriver from the computer guy (who had arrived while the door was open) and took the door knob apart. A happy ending for all...except the maintenance people who were mad yarn sellers had taken apart the lock mechanism. (No customers or yarn sellers were hurt during this event, however one customer was late getting back to work...a written excuse was offered but was not needed)

KnittaPalooza Information on the knitting weekend is up at Ewe Knit Kits and Yarn website. Click on KnittaPalooza for class information.

The move is still on for next weekend. Looks like we'll have lots of volunteers and will be able to move all of the yarn onSunday.

We received a huge shipment this past week. I think we now have every color of Cascade 220. New for us is Rowan. And a big shipment of Trendsetter, Ironstone and Unicorn yarns to replinish our dwindling stock.


Generations of Knitters I taught a felting class this Saturday (we'll finish up next week). Four students. A brand new "I only know the knit stitch" knitter...welcome! and a Grandmother, her daughter, and her daughters' daughter!


The Passion of the Christ Saw this movie yesterday. As I expected, I didn't walk out with an "I've been saved" feeling. More of a sadness that man can be so violent to man. And why does this surprise me?...we're still doing it today.....Mel Gibson sucked me in totally with his film. I flinched everytime the whip was used. Everytime He fell, I felt my hands trying to help Him up. The agony of the mother was painful to watch. And as promised, just as I thought "I can't take this anymore" Mel let me step away from the sight so I could take a breath because I wasn't breathing.

That's where they get The Friday Five!

So it takes me a while longer to discover internet stuff than some folks....thanks Bess

The Friday Five

What was...

1. ...your first grade teacher's name?
Sister Imelda. I mentioned her in an earlier post. I was the third generation to attend St. Paul's Elementary School...and graduate from St. Pauls/Portsmouth Catholic High School.

2. ...your favorite Saturday morning cartoon?
I remember watching Mighty Mouse, Popeye, Bugs Bunny, but my favorite Saturday morning shows was "Sky King", with "Fury" and "My Friend Flicka" a close second and third. I wanted to BE Penny!

3. ...the name of your very first best friend?
Mary Ann Hill. Met her in 5th grade

4. ...your favorite breakfast cereal?
Coco Crispy's

5. ...your favorite thing to do after school?
Nothing really stands out. I do remember riding my bike around the neighborhood looking out for my siblings, making sure they weren't getting into trouble.

How do they accomplish so much?

Have you noticed how some knitters seem to finish projects really quickly? One night they begin a sweater and a few days later are sewing it up? When do they find the time? I begin my days at 5:30 with a walk, then off to work, home at 6:15ish, another walk, dinner, clean up, and then it's 8:00. Always something to do around the house (vacuum, pickup) and with summer heading our way yard work. I'm in by 11:00. Sometimes I'm too tired to pick up needles.

I've added to the list of blogs over there <----- more of the blogs I visit. They were out on my favorites list. They're in no paticular order.

In case you were wondering we didn't win the big lottery. HOWEVER, we did win $7!!!!! So we reinvested in the lottery and lost it all. I'm sure there's another jackpot with my name on it.

My nieces shawl is finished. Showed it off at the guild Monday night.

I've begun another, for my other niece. Different pattern. I'm using a yo, sl, k, psso stitch.

And work on Sally's Favorite Summer Sweater continues. As does a 3rd sample of my felted purse for KnitaPalooza.

Ya gotta love his little snub at dressing up. His favorite shoes at the SAG awards......and same shoes 2 weeks later at the Oscars

I have an opinion

Bess and Catherine mention Lent in their blogs today. The "giving up" and "sacrifice". I went to Catholic school for 12 years. Religion classes taught by nuns and priests (one of whom resigned after pleading guilty a few weeks ago, but that's another story). In first grade, Sister Imelda passed around a box with slips of paper in it. On each slip of paper was a "sacrifice" that we had to make for Lent. My slip of paper said candy. I was six. I mentioned to my father that I should have been able to chose my own....he told me that the nuns were always right and made sure I had no candy that Lenten season. That was the beginning of my battle with forced religion. The adults ensuring I believed what I was told and had no original thoughts or opinions of my own. I gave up the fight in 6th grade after Sister Agnes called me an idiot. I did have a one time relapse in 9th grade during the discussion of what Adam and Eve actuallyphysically looked like, you know, that whole evolution thing. The punishments were not worth it. It was easier to memorize and spew back. I became a good girl and tried to set an example for my younger siblings.

And that brings me to this. I'm not sure why I want to see The Passion of the Christ.

For entertainment? Not my style of movie with all the violence.

Religion? I still believe but not exactly the what the Catholic church says I should. Will a movie that I will have my eyes closed during most of "save" me?

Curiosity? Probably. I've watched the interviews with Mel, Jim and cast. Saw the "Making of" on PAX and read reviews...pro and con.

I have made plans to see it with friends in a few weeks. I'm just not sure how I want or need to approach this movie. Perhaps I know too much about it. Perhaps I'll just walk in, sit down and watch.

I did promise the knitting ring knitting so here it is:

I saw the KnittaPalooza weekend proof sheet last Saturday. 2 1/2 full days of classes and events. Even speakers during lunches and dinners!

Ewe Knit Kits will be moving into it's new location the weekend of March 13th. Lights are in, office is built, second register stand is in progress, shelving ordered, and walls are painted. The plans are to begin moving in on Saturday morning and be finished by end of day Sunday. Store will be open 10 - 5:30 on Saturday. Please excuse our mess will be the statement of the day. And all offers to carry bags of yarn down a few doors will be accepted.

We're still hiring. Need a part time job? Employee discount plus salary.

The deli/bakery has opened. They kindly brought down leftovers (apple tarts, cheese tarts, croissants) about 3:00 Saturday afternoon. We'll be 2 doors down in a few weeks. I can vouch for the tuna on baggette.


So very happy Matt and Rob are able to stay open while they search for a new home for ThreadBear.

You are interchangeable.
Fun, free, and into everything, you've got every
eventuality covered and every opportunity just
has to be taken. Every fiber is wonderful, and
every day is a new beginning. You are good at
so many things, it's amazing, but you can
easily lose your place and forget to show up.
They have row counters for people like you!


What kind of knitting needles are you?
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Hmm, yesterday I was "turbo". Guess it depends on my mood. That's the color of Manos I used for my scarf.