hand eye crafts

If you've ever been to a Stitches event, you know how much fun it is, and also, how much walking you have to do.  Therefore, come prepared: That would be yours truly on the left, Mooflower on the left.  In the Market on Day One.  The last time we saw each other was also in Atlanta, about four years ago.  She is truly awesome, and it was great to see her again.  And to meet her friend, Jane. Day One shopping filled one of my Chico bags .  I'd written down amounts of yarn I needed for specific projects, and stuck to buying those.  For the most part. How cute is that little guy?  Shame I can't crochet --- Briton's girlfriend loves otters. Treated myself to room service the first night, having taken a long nap that afternoon and missed dinnertime. Fruit and cheese basket.  Followed the next morning by my standard hotel/room service Eggs Benedict breakfast.  With tiny bottles of Tabasco again. Bought fewer things on Day ...

I do not like to shop.  Even online I'm usually not that caught up in it.  Except for one thing. Cowboy boots. Could look at them all day.  I openly gasp at some.  I emit "will-die-a-little-if-these-don't-become-mine" noises often. Last week, I was down.  Hell, I've been down all year, but last week was particularly vicious and personal.  So I took some of what rather small amount of disposable income I have, and bought myself some boots.  These boots to be specific: Right away, the photo does them no justice at all.  The leather is buttery soft and the embroidery is impeccable, and, yes, I might have rubbed them against my face. These boots positively take my breath away.  And they're going with me to Nashville to give me something pretty to look at and contemplate on when everything else threatens to overwhelm me.

With these selections, the first Knitters' Chick will have reached the Quarterfinals!  Thank you all so much for supporting this idea! We had a tie yesterday, which we will try to break in a couple of days: Jeremy Irons vs. Tom Selleck.  Clear winners were Jeff Daniels, Jimmy Fallon and Liam Neeson.  Here are your choices du jour: Pair Sixty-Five Pair Sixty-Six Pair Sixty-Seven Pair Sixty-Eight

Pair One Pair Two Pair Three

Don't know who's luckier --- them or her.

For the past couple of Knitters' Hunk contests, my son has been saying I should have an equivalent contest for women.  A "Knitters' Babe," if you will.  So, this year, to keep the harumphing to a minimum, I am going to do just that. Announcing, in conjunction with our Knitters' Hunk contest, our first annual Knitters' Chick competition.  Basically, the rules are the same for KH --- 3 nominations per person, a tournament-style contest decided by a plurality of votes, and a prize package going to the person who nominated the winner.  For the Chick nominations, think a (famous) woman you'd like to be best knitting friends with, someone who would gladly go on a yarn (not "yard," as I typed on facebook) crawl with you, maybe someone you have a secret girl crush on. This will be nothing if not interesting! So spread the word about this little venture, too!  And use today and tomorrow wisely for choosing your absolute tip-top, A-Number-One ...

Several weeks ago, I ordered some of Kollage Yarn 's square knitting needles.  I've used them a couple of times since getting them, and there truly is  a difference in how my hands feel (as advertised.)  Never good with physics, or kinesiology,  the explanation for that eludes me, but it is true nonetheless.  When I can, I plan on getting some Cubics to see how they handle. Yesterday, and so far today, lots of my time is being spent on Patternfish .  As if I need more patterns.  With all the free ones available, no one should ever have to pay for a pattern.  But there are a couple there that I just might have to give in to.  Like this one: Now, I am nowhere near  as top heavy as our model here;  hope that won't be a problem. There are tons of gorgeous, intricate lace shawl patterns on the site.  For some reason, I've never been inclined to knit lace.  Don't know why, exactly, unless it's that most lace patterns ar...

The first gardenias of the year are in! (And, Hugh Laurie is on the cover of "TV Guide.")

I do not drink coffee.  Yet coffee houses are, generally, places that I like.  Ironically, my two favorites (one old, one new) both have canine-inspired names.  There's Fido , near Vandy, in Nashville (the old) and Lost Dog Cafe , (the new), in Folly Beach.  (Although, I got the best white hot chocolate ever from Black Magic Coffee in Folly Beach.) I do not remember ever having been to Charleston.  After going yesterday, I know I would  remember, as it is so pretty.  (At least the parts of town I drove through.)  Just for an example, look at the stunning Charleston Bridge: The reason I went into Charleston was knit.   An internet search had shown 3 yarn shops within easy driving distance of Folly Beach --- one which sounded more like a needlepoint store, two which were definitely knitting-heavy.  Knit. was the nearer, so I stopped on my way back.  And, OH. . .  Just OH.  It was a fantastic find, if only for the ...