I haven't forgotten about you...

Just checking in to let you know that I have been up to my eyeballs in jam, works in progress and singing in my friend's wedding. I have a much more calm weekend ahead, so I promise I will post a picture of a hat that I knit with that awesome yarn, Knitcol...

Yarn Shop Hop!

Seven local yarn shops in the Twin Cities area were sponsoring their 2nd annual Yarn Shop Hop this past weekend. I had gone on the "hop" last year all by myself, which was fun, but I thought it would be even better to do the trip with someone else. I talked Becky into joining me this year. We decided to both take Friday off of work to go Yarn Shop hopping. At the first shop you visit, the shop gives you a card to have stamped at each of the shops. Since the name of the hop this year is "Tools of the trade" each shop also gives you knitting tool.

Thanks to mapquest, we had our trip directions in hand.

I was the navigator and Becky was the driver.

We set out on a course to the 7 seven shops Friday morning. We left my house around 9:40 and were to our first shop when it opened at 10 am. The first stop was Sheepy Yarn Shop in White Bear Lake. Having been on the hop before, I knew that this wasn't my favorite of the shops, and I told Becky this. I think she had the same feeling, as we were out of the shop in about 15 minutes. After getting our stamp card and the tool, a sock chibi and a clear plastic pouch that would serve as our "tool bag", we were out of there. We stopped quickly at a small Farmer's Market next door, we were back in the car and on our way to The Yarnery.

I think The Yarnery has to be my favorite St. Paul yarn store. Even though it is a smaller shop, it is very well organized and the people are always very helpful and friendly. I picked up a kit to make a felted birds nest. Becky picked up a pattern to make a jack o'lantern hat for a child. We got our cards stamped and collected their tool, stitch markers.

We had planned out our route so that we would be at The Yarnery around lunch time. We planned it that way so that we could take advantage of being right next to Cafe Latte for lunch. I always have the same thing when I go there: Egg Salad on sourdough, and this visit was no exception. I thought of taking its picture only after it was gone.

It was YUMMY! Cafe Latte is known for their desserts, and Becky had a really good looking one, Raspberry Imperial.

After lunch, it was off to Mendota to 3 Kittens Yarn. Becky picked up the cutest pattern to make a child's hat that looks like a sock monkey. We had fun at 3 Kittens, finding lots of yarn and looking at all of their samples. We got our card stamped and collected a stash inventory card for our "tool bag". Our next stop was Zandy's. Becky bought a few skeins of Berrocco Comfot yarn. It was so soft! I think she is going to make up some little hats for a friend that just had twins. We got our cards stamped and were given tape measures for our tool bags.

We were back in the car after about 20 minutes at Zandy's heading to my favorite Minneapolis yarn store, Needlework Unlimited.

Their store is beautiful and big. It is so inviting. Becky picked up a couple of patterns and I picked up a small Lantern Moon bag and a pattern for small knit bears. (After talking to Becky last night, sounds like she liked Needlework Unlimited so much that she went back there to pick up some needles yesterday!)

We got our cards stamped and was given a small bag of safety pins for our tool bags. After spending a good chunk of time at Needlework Unlimited, we had a bit of drive to our next stop, located in Excelsior, Coldwater Collaborative.

Again, another great yarn shop. The people that worked there were very friendly and helpful. I had a question about a scarf that they had hanging in their shop, and the woman working there said that they didn't have the pattern any more. She apologized but then stood there with me and the scarf and figured out the pattern. She then pointed me in the direction of the yarn that was used. I was already to pull out my debit card, but then saw the price of the yarn: $23.00 a hank! While it was fantastic yarn (Colinette Point Five) I couldn't justify the purchase. Maybe someday when I have more of a budget for luxury yarn... We got our cards stamp and were given a stitch holder for our tool bag.

We then were on our way to our final stop of the Yarn Shop Hop, Amazing Threads in Maple Grove.

Like the name of the shop indicates, it is an amazing shop. It is well organized and the lighting in the shop helps to bring out all of the amazing colors of the yarns. I ended up buying a pattern for a baby hat and the yarn it calls for, Knitcol yarn, which is self striping. So, knitting with it makes it look like you changed colors several times, and makes the average knitter look like a genius. Gotta love that! We got our cards stamped and were given needlepoints for our tool bags. Since this was our last stop, we turned in our completely stamped card to go into a drawing for the GRAND PRIZE.

We were told that the grand prize's value is estimated between $2000 and $3000! Becky and I agreed that if either of us were to win it, we would split it with each other. I guess we will cross that bridge when we win it!!!

Fall is in the air...

It is getting cold here in Minnesota.

Funny how a creature who wears a fur coat 24/7 can feel it too.

So I guess I am apricot...

As I was surfing the web today, I came across a survey that asks what color of orange you are. Since I was intrigued to find out (and bored at work) I decided I would check it out. Here are my results:

You are Apricot

Soft and sweet, over time you let your provocative nature shine through. You are definitely unconventional, but you don't broadcast it. You offer people a fresh perspective on life - so fresh that it can be shocking!

What Color Orange Are You?

It is pretty true, although sometimes I find it difficult to have a fresh perspective on life, and it is hardly ever shocking...



Go there and have 5 minutes of fun!

Knitter's Coffee Swap 3!

So, I have been invited to participate in the Knitter's Coffee Swap 3. I participated in the the first one, but missed the second one. I am really excited to take part again. In the first swap, I was paired up with a woman from Canada and she sent me some really awesome wool yarn, yummy treats and delicious coffee. (You can check out her blog here . )

The original organizer of this swap is knittymama, a fellow Minnesotan, and a fellow bassoonist! :) If you want to check out Knittymama's blog, you can find it here .

So we were asked to answer some questions so that our swap partner would know a little more about us. Here are the questions and the answers:

QUESTIONS
1. Whole bean or ground? Mostly whole bean

2. Fully-loaded or decaf? Fully-loaded please

3. Regular or flavored? Either, I like them both

4. How do you drink your coffee? With sugar

5. Favorite coffee ever? I don't know that I have a favorite

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? I usually tend to gravitate toward the darker roasts

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? I have been known to dip a cookie into my coffee from time to time...

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? Nope

9. Yarn/fiber you love? Wool (for felting), cotton blends

10. Yarn/fiber you hate? Acrylic

11. What's on your needles? Socks, coffee cup cuffs that will be felted

12. Favorite colors? Earth tones

13. Allergies? Not that I know of...

14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? I am really excited to be participating in this swap!