Stitches South

Stitches South was just here in GA - April 11 through April 14, 2013.  I was able to scoot over there on Sunday, the 14th.  Usually I spend a couple of days there but it did not work out for me this year.

It was awesome as always.  Something happens to my senses when I get around that much fiber, yarn and beauty.  I walked through 3 times before making any purchases.  I was in complete control - even though I usually am armed with a list of projects and yarn ideas for these projects prior to attending.  I had not had the chance to do that.

In the photo, left side - Madelintosh Meriono Light in Stargazing.  Possibly for a Spectra .  Next up Lang Jawoll Magic in Rainbow and also in a blue/green mix.  Something in my Ravelry queue but I can't remember.  Love this yarn.

In the back, a Yarn Pop project case.  Love owls , love this bag.  I will eventually get the larger one with a shoulder strap but for now, this works great.  In the front from Lovin' Knits , this glorious ball of Freia handpaints ombre yarn.  This was kitted with a shawl pattern from KnitWhits.  Not sure if I will keep the yarn for this pattern, but couldn't resist.

The cream color yarn and pattern in the right rear is Shibui Staccato and Shibui Silk Cloud.  The pattern is Shibui Mix which is an ethereal shawl.  I will use Shibui Staccato but instead of Silk Cloud, I bought Habu Textiles Silk and Stainless Steel.  This "yarn" makes the shawl look like it is really floating.  I saw it knit up as a sample at Cast On Cottage booth and it is stunning.

Then last but not least, Miss Babs in Pewter (photo does not show the beauty of this gray)Yummy Sock and Baby yarn along with Yummy Toes in Naples.  This will become Leftie .  I saw several of these knit up in different booths and there are endless options to knitting this shawl.  Did not see one I didn't like.

So there is my Stitches South, summed up.  And I was able to meet up with several of you !

Off the needles - Little Shells (Ravelry)- knit up in Shibui Staccato and Shibui Silk Cloud.  Yes, I love this yarn.  One strand each, held together.  My mother claimed this one.

That's it for now!  Happy knitting, sewing, or just plain craftin'.

Pandas are here from Hiya Hiya!

The Pandas have arrived and they are absolutely adorable and fun.  These are the Point Protectors for your needles.  Small set of Pandas fit US 0- US8 and Large set of Pandas fit US 9- US15.  I am told the Cable stoppers are still in the work for the interchangeable needle sets, but they have not been released as of yet.

I have also started carrying select Clover accessories such as Chibi, Wonder Clips (which are terrific for knitting, quilting or even scrapbooking) and more.

Large Panda is on the left and Small Panda on the right.  Also arrived at The Yarn Grove are some new accessory cases from Hiya Hiya.  Lots of fun stuff!

SHARPs...!

Well, once again, Hiya Hiya did it just right.  Their new release of 4" and 5" Interchangeable tips in Large SHARPs US 9-15 are fabulous.  They arrived here just in time to ship before Christmas holiday.  Currently, the only color the cases are available in are teal.  I am currently using a US 9 SHARPs and love love love them! 
I also had on order Large SHARPs Interchangeable tips as well but because of the shipping schedule, I had to put that order on hold.  I did not have time to put those items on The Yarn Grove.  I do expect all sizes that Hiya Hiya North America has in stock for the individual 4" and 5" tips sometime the first full week of January. 

I sent three of those quilt tops I had shown in a previous blog to my longarm quilter and they turned out wonderfully.  These 2 photos do not do them justice because I am not a good photographer.  The David Butler - Parson Gray - Curious Nature quilt was everyone's favorite.  It went to my son.  Even my husband commented that it was the best quilt I had ever done.  I have enough fabric left to make another one.  Love love love this one. 

The Batik quilt came out equally as well - just very bright. The Pickle dish, not shown, is already on my side of the bed!

In my knitting world, I have another Little Shells on the sticks. I'm using 2 different weight yarns, held together.  One is 100% alpaca and the other mohair/silk blend, both from Shibui yarns.  Scrumptious.  In a cream color. 

Wishing you and yours Peace. Love. Laughter in 2013.

Affliction, affection, attention, whatever its name...

I have finished my Color Affection shawl.  I have called it everything but its right name as have several in my Noble Knitters knitting group.  Love this shawl.  For anyone knitting one, I highly recommend a stretchy bindoff.  My bind off was too tight so I have to tink back, reknit a couple of rows and bind off with a stretchy one.  It worked like a charm.  This shawl has already seen lots of wear.  Great for wrapping around your shoulders and hitting the pavement. Mine was made with Miss Babs in 3 different colorways which I purchased at Stitches South.

In The Yarn Grove news, Hiya Hiya SHARPs continue to be a very hot seller in both fixed circulars and interchangeables.  Love love love them. I am currently fully stocked in all the interchangeable cables as well.  Time to be thinking of gifts for others as well as yourself.  I still have no updated news on when the Hiya Hiya LARGE interchangeable SHARP sets will be available.  I'll continue to keep you all posted as my list grows and grows of customers wanting these.

My sewing machine has been going full steam ahead. Last year I made each of my grandboys a Halloween quilt and this year decided to make them a Charlie Brown Christmas quilt.  Now that I have 3 grandboys, two, who are brothers, will have to share.  I bought these as a kit from my local quilt shop Intown Quilters and let me just say, the pattern was a challenge for me.  Lots of measuring and I even had to enlist hubby for his math skills.

Once the tops were assembled, I decided to stich in the ditch on the actual "film" strip and begin my jaunt into Free Motion Quilting.  Why?  Because I had just sent 3 rather large quilts to my longarm quilter and I know they will cost a small fortune.  2 are gifts and I will show when I get them back in 2 weeks.  Anyway, on to my first Free Motion quilting projects. I first watched a youtube video and read a lot of info from my machine workbooks.  Finally I just dove in it and while it took me a little while to try to get the stitches even, I was happy with the look.  I think my next one will be perhaps a pattern that I draw on the quilt and follow it.  I had virtually no puckering on the back because I used 505 spray to sandwich together.  Worked like a charm.  No gunk on my needle or fabric either.

The only thing left is to embroidery my quilt tags for my babies and I'll be done.  You know the holidays are creeping up on us rather rapidly...  Scary stuff....

So Sew...

While I have been busy knitting up a storm and sewing, I have failed terribly in the area of taking photos.  So I thought I would play catch up on a couple of quilt projects I have finished - although their next stop will be the longarmer.

This is David Butler's Curious Nature quilt, pattern free on Free Spirit Fabrics.  While it is free, you do have to enlarge it immensely but it was worth the cost for that.  The fabric is divine.  I LOVE this quilt.  So much so, that I have ordered fabric to do another one. This photo does not do the fabric justice.  While my local quilt shop, Intown Quilters has been sold out of this fabric, I did manage to find enough of the colorways I needed on line.  They should be here by Friday.  Did I tell you I love this quilt?  David is the husband of Amy Butler, just in case you were Curious...

The paper that is adhered to the bottom right here is a numbering system I developed to help my old brain when sewing this together!

And here is Pickle Dish top finished.  Love this one too.  Pickle Dish will be for me!  It was fun once I got the hang of putting these together on my new quilt wall.  Couldn't have accomplished it without the wall.

In knitting news, Hiya Hiya SHARPs continue to be extremely popular.  Anyone who tries them, loves them.  I am working on a Wingspan currently and am enjoying the heck out of it.

Other than that, life gets in the way of all the crafts I would rather be doing 24/7 !  Hope this finds you all happily crafting along...  More photos and projects finished soon...

Here Kitty Kitty....

Lots of new items from Hiya Hiya at The Yarn Grove today!  The ever adorable Kitty Snips that join the Puppy snips.  These are ideal for your knitting bag - and ever so handy.

9" Sharps have arrived.  These are available in US 0- US 8 and have teal colored cables.  Try one if you haven't already.  Also in a replenish of 9" Circular cases.  These have handy pockets to put all your 9" neeedles.  Of course, needles are not included : )

  

New in are Hiya Hiya interchangeable cable connectors.  These can be used to join cables and make them longer.  Can also be used as stoppers.  Just remove your tips and screw in each end to the cables.

These are sold in sets of 2 with a needle grip included.  Small and large sizes are available.

New in also are Hiya Hiya interchangeable Tip Adapters. Using a large interchangeable tip and all you have is a small cable available? No problem now.  Get the Tip Adapter and connect your large tip to a small cable.  There you go!  Available at this time in the Large tip to small cable size. 

Lots of new sizes also available in all circular sizes of STEEL SHARPs.  Also, Hiya Hiya is beginning to migrate to teal colored cables, therefore your needle may be teal or clear in color.

I am also carrying empty Interchangeable cases now in assorted colors.  This is for all of you who have multiple tips and need extra room. 

Enjoy shopping around and as always, I appreciate each and every one of you!



"baby", bags and blocks

I wanted to introduce you to my new "baby".  My lovely new BabyLock Ellisimo sewing/embroidery machine.  And I am in love...  Love love love this machine.  I have only had it for a couple of weeks - in fact have not even been to the new user's class - but I have already fallen hard for it. I know we will be friends for many years to come.  Best part?  I can just download embroidery designs right from the computer now.  Did I tell you I love it? 

Since this will be mainly a sewing post, I wanted to introduce you to The Bag Tree.  Michelle, of  The Bag Tree, is making these awesome, multi functional bags.  While I can see their purpose for holding lots of knitting projects, etc., they are gorgeous and fun to carry!  Stay tuned for more designs as Michelle completes each one with the quality and beauty that is seen in these bags.  You can find her on Etsy by clicking on the link above. LOVE!!  And just for The Yarn Grove readers, enjoy a 10 % discount on your first order by entering the code YARNGROVE10 upon checkout.  Please checkback as she add more and more bags.  More on The Bag Tree to come!

Now to my pickle dish.  I have had trouble with putting my pickle dish blocks together because, as you can see by the photo, you have to match up ends.  So I went on a mission of researching quilt walls and found one here at Sewingmachinesplus .  I had seen this Cheryl Ann's Design wall at a Sewing Expo a couple of years ago and loved the idea.  So I set out to order one.  Why not get the 72"x72" since the difference in price was about $9.00?  Ummm, when it arrived, it took my husband and I to assemble it.  Once I got it up, it was about the size of a drive-in movie screen.  I'm not kidding.  So I called them and they kindly said I could exchange it for the 54"x54", which is what you see in the photo here.  Love it.  I can assemble it myself and it fits into a very small bag, believe it or not.

The Yarn Grove is buzzing busy with Hiya Hiya Sharp needles - both circulars, DPNs and interchangeables.  If you haven't already tried them, you need to.  They are absolutely amazing.  More sizes in the SHARPs should arrive early summer.  Yay!