Saturday, October 27, 2007

BUSY VERSUS BALANCED......BUSY WINS.

Not having posted in almost 3 weeks, I've lots to show and tell.

Spent time at Stitches, Rhinebeck, on the Nursing job, teaching my knitting classes, organizing (yep-again!) my yarn room, cleaning out closets at home and scrambling to finish that afghan for our Church project! In between knitting that occasional Ballband cloth, and Granny's favorite just to keep my sanity! I need to feel a balance among home, work and creative play. Not feeling it yet! SIGH. Next immediate project is to knit about a dozen little sock ornaments for the Church Christmas tree-due by Saturday morning! Oh, how I love a deadline not at all!!!

So, lets start with our Baltimore trip.

The 3 Amigas, turned loose on all that unsuspecting yarn.....

Home again, in the sanctity of my yarn room, I survey the damage done, and contemplate where to store it all! Notice a trend here...sock yarn and lace yarn. Main attractions for me were Blue Yarn, Claudia Hand painted and Brooks Farm Yarn. Most of the patterns were half off at Yarn's Forever. Books came from Mannings and Yarn Barn.

What I plan to be knitting this year! Serious! I've decreed that if I haven't knit my purchases by November 2008, I'm a staying home!
Purses were from the samples sale bin at Two Old Bags, cost $20 each! Who could resist? Not me, Gentle Knitter!

Budget constraints gave rise to serious thoughts regarding what to spend at Rhinebeck the following week. Piggy bank offerings were taken to the bank, and that lovely coin machine set some spending guidelines.

HOW ABOUT A CONTEST!!!!!!


Guess how much coinage in the bowl, post your answer to my comments section and I'll send the lucky winner who is the closest to the correct amount without going over, 4 balls of stash dishcloth cotton and a hand knit dishcloth from my dish cloth stash.


Why am I doing this, Daaaarling? I've won a few things myself lately, and I've got a lot of stash. Paying it forward.

Deadline is Wednesday, October 31st, midnight. I'll announce the winner before noon Thursday, November 1st. Winner can even specify the cotton skein colors and if I've got them in my stash, well, they are yours, postage on me!

Hint: There's more money in coins than you might think in that bowl, but not enough for me to go merrily to Rhinebeck without adding some $$$ to the yarn shopping budget, as you might tell from my purchases. See below.

Next stop, Rhinebeck!


I found some interesting things, but as with Stitches, you can predict that I will come home with something from Blue Moon and Brooks Farm. Again, socks and shawl yarn. Some cool patterns, and a really funky black alpaca with some sort of feathers woven in. My new scarf this year! CAW! CAW!

Little projects were perfect take- alongs during our trips....


I'm favoring the Peaches N Cream brand over Sugar N Cream these days due to their vibrant colors! Hope they wash and wear well.

Playing around making some dishcloth care tags for my gift giving.

Found this bottle of wine during my monthly wine run and just had to buy it because of the label. Alas, the actual wine was swill, but nothing that couldn't be made tolerable with a bit of ginger ale added! I'm a fan of log cabin quilts, so knitting this cloth gave me immense satisfaction.


TA-DA! The church afghan finished! Those ladies I knit with are such talented knitters! I feel such peace now that it is all finished.

Next up....Mike's sweater!

46 comments:

Dee said...

Hi there! I will guess 32.17 in change. :)

Amanda said...

What a fun contest!

I'm going to guess $17.89

Lil Knitter said...

I'm guessing 26.37.
The church afghan is beautiful. You ladies did an awesome job!
Okay, now to go wipe up the drool from looking at all that gorgeous yarn...lol
Hugs!

Midlife Cycler said...

I think I will guess $48.85.
Thank you in advance :)

Debbie said...

I am going to say 39.90 I think your work is outstanding I only hope my work becomes comparable lol

spinquilt said...

My guess is $23.75.. The church afghan is beautiful. They really did a lovely job.
Karen

Mothergoose said...

My guess is $31.83. Beautiful work. You are truly talented.

Kathleen B. said...

I will guess $33.33. What a good idea. I think I will start saving some change for my next visit a yarn shop. Love your yarn purchases--what a great color sense you have.
Kathleen

Unknown said...

Love the idea of saving change for your next yarn shop visit. I've been keeping my change in a sheep tin - why didn't I figure out that it was really yarn money!? Now I know! My guess is $24.31.

Lynn

Anonymous said...

My guess is $29-75. What a great way to save money for yarn. I also think the afghan is awesome.
lyndat65attpg.com.au

Aunt Kathy said...

Well being a coin roller myself you'd think I could tell just by looking, but alas my glasses are broken, LOL. Well it's a good excuse, don't you think?

My guess is $41.86

What a cool idea for a contest though. As you know my contest runs every day for a month and I am always needing new ideas, thanks.

I'm jealous too, I can't seem to get a grip on the log cabin dishcloth... weird too, cause I can do the garterlac. Oh well.

Anonymous said...

hmmmmm, how about $27.23. Someone else already guessed close to what I was going to so I went up a bit.

I've loved viewing your work! And your stash!! Oh my!

Anonymous said...

nice stash of yarn and great idea for a contest. my guess is $12.45
hugs, Betty F

SissySees said...

Wow, you've been busy! Love the log cabin cloth, especially the colors!

While I'm here, I'm guessing 21.42.

Anonymous said...

Wow... look at all the commenters I know! :-)

My guess $25.73

Love the afghan.. it's gorgeous...

Unknown said...

Well, everyone has given low guesses, I think. My guess is $89.50

Love the pink and brown cotton,and the log cabin dishcloth!

DawnK said...

$25.89

Change bowls hold more money than you think. I'm amazed at how fast the laundry money adds up into significant cash!

Wendy said...

Hello, Love the blog and your work is great.....My guess will be $38.24. Will be saving you to favorites to come and visit again.
Have a great and blessed day....By the way I linked to you through Aunt Kathy's blog, she is also having a contest....

ikkinlala said...

I'll guess $19.31.

Katie J said...

$42.17 is my guess. I love the afghan and I always enjoy reading about your knitting adventures. Nice to have you back!

SimplyMe said...

I so love what you are doing. great job. I agree on so many things you said. The church afghan is beautiful. I am getting addicted to sock yarn as well. So many project dreams, so little time.

I'll guess an even $50 for the creative......whatever of it!

Anonymous said...

beautiful church afghan. nice job. My guess for the coinage is $28.

Katie O said...

I say there is 26.27 in the bowl!!

Unknown said...

i say 22.00

Anonymous said...

I am going to say $68.87

Lisa said...

My guess is $10.95. Love the church afghan, it's beautiful.

magnoliasntea said...

Wow, that's a lovely afghan, and your yarn purchases are just gorgeous. Looks like you've had a fun time lately (except for the swill, of course.)

Anonymous said...

My guess is 67.00.

Mary Ann said...

Hi, Aunt Kathy sent me!! You're a beautiful knitter. I knit a little bit, but crocheting is my thing. I'm trying to learn some new things in knitting, so maybe someday I'll knit as well as I crochet.

As far as your contest goes, I'm going to say $10.

I loved reading your blog.

A-May said...

Love the pictures. A log cabin cloth would be perfect for odd amounts of cotton left over from knit-alongs.

36.75 (fun contest!)

Anonymous said...

I love the afghan and covet the yarn. It is gorgeous. My guess is $62.15.

JoanK said...

Yarn - wonderful choices! The afghan is absolutely gorgeous and very well put together. My guess for the coins is $43.49 ..

Anonymous said...

My guess is $24.34.

I trust you enjoyed yourself at Rhinebeck. Various accounts of it that I have read were all positive.

Janey
janeyknitting AT yahoo DOT ca

Knit-O-Matic said...

Thats a beautiful afghan. It reminds me of the one my knitting group made me when I moved.

My guess for the contest is $35.01

Happy Knitting!

Jan said...

34.95
love your blogs - great flower and veggie pics - all yummy stuff here...
may I paint one of your flowers?

Unknown said...

Great Contest! I guess $56

Elizabeth Boyle said...

Love that Ann Norling pattern for the top down sweaters for kids--but I do find them to be a bit on the narrow side--and I have a string bean of a kid--so watch when you knit that it doesn't come out too skinny.

As for the Rhinebeck fund--is there ever enough money for yarn??? But my guess is $37.15.

edith said...

Lovely knitting, lovely stuff...My guess is $43.10

cindybmw2004 said...

$27.86 is my guess....good thing you stay in my favorites! Love your blog.

Unknown said...

Stunning afghan!

My guess: $34.83.

smariek said...

OMG, I'm trying to imagine how long it took to seam all those squares together! Love the wine label.

Ok, since everyone is taking a guess at how much is in the bowl, I guess I'll play too.

$33.17

Anonymous said...

Hi!

As always, loved the latest entry on your blog. I have to say, however, the photo of the afghan does not do justice to your bobbles!!! (But once it is on the back of MY couch, I will give you credit for them! hahaha..)

And my guess would be ....
$38.69

Leigh Ann said...

Aunt Kathy sent me. I love the Church arghan. The ladies of your church did an amaxing job.

My guess for the change is $48.50

CraftyCarole said...

yipes you've got yourself quite the haul!

DH put me on a diet (yarn diet that is) meanie!!!!

I'm in a slump kind of Have 6 projects on the needles, 4 of which are Christmas gifts but I jsut finished plying 700+ yards of Targhee cross... 17 wpi... in the natural/white color.. I'll dye it once I decide what it wants to be....

C ya around!

CraftyCarole said...

btw... forgot to mention the afghan is GAWGEOUS!

hakucho said...

Wow your church afghan is a masterpiece :) I have another deadline for church now too... as many pocketbook slippers that I can make for the kids only shopping part of our church's holly fair Nov 17 th I think it is. I haven't even thought about Christmas knitting yet...now do you think I am in a panic? Good luck with your deadline...can't wait to see the finished products!

happy knitting :)