ASG Creativity Contest

Well, its that time again! I'll be submitting my entry to the American Sewing Guild Contest this Friday. Here is a sneak peak at my entry:

I won't show the whole garment until AFTER the deadline...just in case.

Haven't been knitting at all lately. Just sewing, packing, painting the new house, and trying to survive finals week, Jill leaving, and everything else thats going on. Rebecca is due in 2 weeks so I'm SUPER excited about that. I still haven't finished the curtains for the nursery...I guess I should get crackin!

The Albuquerque Bird Flies West

The Albuquerque Bird was the featured drink this week at Aromas (the birthplace of the Cast Aways Knitting Club). The Albuquerque Bird is a vanilla soy latte, Jill's favorite drink. Jill left this morning to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She will be working for an environmental consulting agency, researching and studying the effects of construction on songbirds. Jill has spent the last 2 years here in Alabama earning her Masters in ornithology (a vocab term I picked up last night at dinner). :)

In addition to being the most talented knitter I know (LOOK at these!!)....

...Jill is the coolest, most laid back, sweetest, funniest, most caring girl in the world. I can't believe she's gone. I'm going to miss her so much.

Jill,
Knitting club won't be the same without you. I'm SO glad we're friends. Thanks for all the laughs, tears, smiles and knitting lessons. LOVE YOU!!!

Snow Sister

Look at my beach babe sister gone snow bunny! Looks like a GREAT trip to Colorado. I hope she had some good knitwear!!!

Happy Earth Day!

It's Earth day. Sit back and reflect on what you can do to help Mother Earth. One quick and easy way is to stop using plastic throwaway bags. There was an article in the current People Magazine about various bags to use instead of those plastic throwaway and one of them featured was ChicoBag. We are so proud to be a supplier of these great re-useable, multi-purpose bags!

In honor of Earth Day, today The Yarn Grove is giving away a free ChicoBag with every $50.00 purchase. It is a special Earth bag - specifically in honor of Earth Day. This offer is effective through April 22nd.

In other shop news, we just received a huge order from Nature's Palette in Fingering Weight. Darlene has some new colorways such as Tuscan Ocre, Summer Sky and more we are excited to be bringing to you. Back in stock as well are some of your favorites such as Zinfandel, Spring Grass, Orchid and more! And yes, we will be getting her new wool/silk laceweight blend which I have already had the pleasure of knitting with. It is amazing and will be in our shop very soon!

Trivia question: Do you know what year Earth Day first began?

I give you ... One Baby sweater

It's done! Well, except for choosing and sewing on the buttons. This was a really fun knit for me. Seamless Yoked Baby sweater - free pattern from Knitting on the Net. Louet Gems Fingering weight in Willow is the yarn I used. Just a little over 1 skein. I think I'll make a matching hat since I have plenty left for that. This is for sure on my do again list. The only thing I forgot to do was decrease just before finishing the cuff but I believe it will be fine. This would fit a 6-9 month old baby. Since I don't have any of those ... yet ... I will be donating this.

Speaking of buttons, I used to have a real thing for buttons. My friend, Paula did too and she came up with the clever idea years ago that we should store them in an unused fish aquarium. So that's what I did. I just keep adding to it but it makes it really easy to scoop some out and sort through them. The majority of these buttons have come from estate sales, vintage clothing and the likes. Most are old but there are some new ones also in the mix. So I will pick some special ones out for this baby sweater.

And while I am on the subject of baby/small things, we just received the awesome and brand new Hiya Hiya 9" stainless steel circulars. We have had the bamboo ones (when we can keep them in stock) but now they have listened to your requests and are making them in stainless steel as well. These are fabulous for socks, small areas like fingers on gloves and such...

Six Sweet Sheep

Hi everyone! I'm alive! Sorry I haven't posted in forever, but I've been a shower planning fool the past week. Here's a picture of my finished Sheep Yoke Cartigan. I had a hard time understanding the chart on the pattern, but in the end it all worked out...aside from the fact that I was sewing on the buttons a hour before the shower. :)

I spent all day Saturday making the Tiffany's inspired cake...WITH homemade buttercream frosting...oh yes. It was so fun. I wish I could just cook, bake, knit, sew and play all day everyday. Instead, I'm workin for the man...and actually interviewing to work for another man who will pay me more. More on that later.

Making progress and Meet Shorty...

I am really enjoying knitting this little sweater. It is coming along nicely. This is knit from the top down, all in one piece. Tonight I will be able to take it to Noble Knitters group because I am just knitting and purling the body and that doesn't require my brain to think too much whilst talking!

I figured it was time to introduce the latest member of our family. Meet Shorty. Shorty is a brother to Junior and is currently 11 weeks old. I do believe he will be a little smaller than Junior - Junior weighs in at a large Silky Terrier size of 12.5lbs but is not overweight at all according to our vet.

Big Girl aka Lucy, our 14 year old lab is just barely tolerant of him. She has earned her right to be a little cranky and she is the queen of the pack. Everyday I see a little more age creeping into her but she is still pretty spunky!

Stop by The Yarn Grove where you will find a contest going on for Earth Day.

Some fiber goodness...

I just finished the Toyland quilt for a friend whose daughter is having her first baby. I am hosting a shower for her next Sunday. She is having a boy. Gosh, I haven't hosted a shower of any sorts in years and years so this has been a re-learning experience for me. It will be fun though, I'm sure.

I also decided to cast on for a baby sweater which is called Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater. Donna from my knit group had been working on one and I thought it was the cutest. So I cast on (free pattern) with Louet Gems Fingering Weight, not swatching of course, and I am enjoying it.

Earth day is coming up so stay tuned for a fun promotion about that at The Yarn Grove. Have a great weekend - I know I will. Orange Boy and Cheryl are coming to visit. Yay!

Second Hand Home

So, as you may know, Chris and I are moving into our FIRST house in less than a month! (Its tiny but cute...check out the pepto pink bathroom. We will be painting.) This is joyous in many capacities.

First and foremost- we will be OUT of the residence hall.

Secondly, Spottie will have a fenced in back yard, complete with squirrels and birds. She's quite excited.

And lastly, I will have a CRAFT ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (currently I have a craft corner that is so packed that I can't even sit in the chair)

Well, any crafty girl or boy is going to take this golden opportunity to explore some decorating ideas, right? And it just so happens, I'm a crafty AND thrifty girl. SO I've challenged myself to decorate my entire house using only second hand materials. Gasp! I know.

Check out my blog to see my projects. Look for tutorials and patterns as time goes on. http://www.secondhandhome.blogspot.com/

In other news my friend Jana, member of the Castaways knitting club is.....pregnant!!!!! YAY!!!