These were from a Yarn Harlot stop in Minnesota. I had to share. View top to bottom.










Thanks to The Heathen Houswife for the film

April Showers Brings . . .the Harlot?

Went to a fun lecture by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Yarn Harlot last night where she went on (and on) about knitting as her blog byline says. The girls saved me a spot right in the front row and it was great fun. She's an excellent speaker with a good sense of comedic timing. Her comments on her struggles to be recognized as a writer of knitting humor reminded me of my own pauses when people ask me what kind of music I sing. "Uhhh . . . A Capella. Bawdy and Humor. You know - songs of men and women. Drinking songs . . ." And they give me the deer in the headlights look. So yes Stephanie, when you told your tale of the publishers meeting and the woman who asked you when you were going to write a real book - I got it probably better than anyone else there.




At the end of the question and answer period, someone asked her the date of a blog entry mentioning Calgary and she couldn't remember it. We were then treated to a long bonus tale of her escapade into a hotel hallway wearing nothing but panties that said "Cowgirl" on the butt.

Priceless.

After the lecture, she signed autographs and I did get a book signed. On a whim I got her to sign my kitting bag which she thought was a hoot.

I think she was too.

I finished the little Mock Cables Baby Hat a few weeks ago. I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. I modified the decreases just a bit to keep the cable theme straight at the top and avoid the pointy top so many others got on Ravelry. It looks nicer I think. No, I didn't write that down for posterity. It's my secret formula.

BWAAAA HAA HAAAAAAAAA!

Funny thing is, they already had the shower for the baby and I didn't find out until my uncle, the Great Grandad told on me the day it was held. It was down in a basement though and I can't navigate steps yet. I'll try to get it to Billy and his girlfriend soon. I hope it gets lots of oohhs and aaahhhhs.

The Mock Cables were really fun. You slip a stitch, knit two more then use the slipped one to create the illusion of the cable cross. See? That long stitch that stretches sideways has two knit stitches going up through it. Verrrry cool. I'm finally able to "read" some of my knitting. (me?) It's about time.






My model is Emmy Lou. My Grandmother made her for my third birthday. The woman had thirteen (13!) children plus the grandkids(9 at the time)and still made me a present by hand. She made lots of handmade toys and samplers, so did my other grandmother. Guess I come by it honestly.







Bobby's scarf is now longer and gorgeous. This stuff is lovely to knit with but I wish the twist was the other way to better keep the definition of the two colors wrapped around each other. Ahhh me. It's soft and warm and he loves it just the same. Maybe I'll get it done now because (drum roll please)

my hands seem to be okay now

All of a sudden I noticed they weren't doing the wonky finger cramping thing any more. I swear it was related to the steroids/swelling putting pressure on some nerve somewhere. How come doctors don't know which nerve can affect hands that way? Nobody ever had their hands go wonky before? At my recent doctor's appointment they said it could be from the radiation or even the chemo. They don't know nothing.

Sheesh.

Anyway, I can concentrate my knitting efforts on his scarf now and won't have to stop every two rows. Of course there is the little matter that he gave me the yarn for Christmas when he asked for the scarf. But there was no real deadline and his birthday isn't until May . . . Weird thing is, I'm out of the knitting habit now. Since my hands got all weird, I haven't knit much. Gotta remedy that.

Countdown to Sheep and Wool

~~ BONUS POST ~~

Two great bloggers Jody at Javajem and Sarah from by Sarah are counting down the days to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival on a new blog called . . . ready . . .

Countdown to Sheep and Wool

The website is preamble to what will be at the Cloverhill Yarn Shop booth which will feature the wares of no less than 18 independent fiber artists. I think that's a very cool way to promote your peeps. Jody and Sarah are having a contest every day from now 'till then on the site so check 'em out. Win some yarn!

Don't know what Maryland Sheep & Wool is? Whoa sheepdog, you been livin' in a cow pasture? Check them out by clicking the sheepies on their official emblem for this year.

(which is butt ugly and looks like one sheep is humping the other but hey, they didn't ask me to pick it)

Maryland Sheep & Wool