Jesus Just Left Chicago..............

ZZ Top has a song in which they state, "Jesus just left Chicago and He's bound for New Orleans." Welp, I don't know about that, but if that is true He made a stop off in Louisville, KY!!!!!

Last night my husband, David, our daughter, Sara, and I trekked up to Louisville to see Jesus Christ Superstar with the original Jesus (Ted Neeley). As we headed out of Bowling Green for the two hour trip I realized I had forgotten three very important things. 1) Typically when Sara and I go to see a musical we listen to the soundtrack on the way up just to get into the "spirit" of things. I had forgotten the Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. 2) I had forgotten the camera, thus the only photos I have are those taken from my or Sara's phone. 3) Most importantly of all, I had forgotten my knitting!!!!! I mean, what was I thinking?

I did survive believe it or not. Here a a couple pictures. Not much to show really but, if you ever get the chance to see the Louisville Palace Theater, go, it is gorgeous. You can see its beauty at that link, plus a little history.

The musical was awesome, we thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it don't hold a candle to Wicked!!!!!!!

One More Time.......................Sam!!!!!

The swatch for the Casablanca KAL was released a couple of days ago and believe it or not I have some knitting to show!!!! I chose Alpaca With A Twist's Fino as the yarn for this one. The color is called Yellow Ribbon, #5010, however, I have a prejudice toward yellow so I choose to call it "Honey Butter." The beads shown in the swatch are NOT the ones I'm using for the stole. The beads I'm using are called Coffee Caffeine that I got from Beadwrangler.










My swatch was knitted using US Size 2 needles and the beads are size 6/0 seed beads. And it measures 7.5" x 8".

Enchantingly Enchanted

As stated in the previous post I recently went to Enchanted Yarn & Fiber, a new yarn/fiber/knitting goodies/spinning wheel shop opened by a wonderful mother-daughter team, RoLynn & Ashley.

The shop is truly enchanting with a beautiful gazebo area surrounded by a wonderful wooded flower garden made just for enjoying nature while knitting. The shop itself is so very invitingly warm and friendly. If I had a shop this is what I would want it to look like. I'm sure this is where my next spinning wheel will come from. If I'm not getting to spin much on my present wheel don't you think it makes sense I'll really get to spinning with two? Yeah, I know......the lunacy of the yarn/fiber addict.

I did purchase several cool things and some gorgeous yarn. In the photo below are the following: a cute little "Enchanted Yarn & Fiber" button, a couple little plastic thingys that hold your circular needles in place without letting stitches fall off, a wee tiny sock blocker keyring, a really cute, one of a kind scissor protector thingy and some gorgeous JoJoland sock yarn, Melody in color #MS11.

I look forward to going back.

Friends

I haven't gotten a whole lot of knitting done here lately but I've spent lots of time with friends. Which is the next best thing? Last Friday I drove to Emma Belle's school to volunteer for her school field day. I tried to look so cute in my little outfit and silver flip flops - I just about froze to death!!!!! I mean, it was cold folks!!!!! Cooo ooo old!!!!!

When I walked into her classroom the teacher said, "You must be Gammy." And then all the kids said, "Gammy, Gammy, Gammy, Emma S. talks about you all the time!!!!" I laughed and told them I talk about her all the time. Here is a sweet little picture with a couple of Emma Belle's school friends.

Saturday my mother and step-father, Luther, came to visit. We all went out to eat and had such a lovely time. I would have a picture of that except I'm an idiot and instead of taking a picture I made a video. However, I do have an adorable picture of Emma Belle and Sydney.
And then today, Tuesday, I had a wonderful, wonderful visitor. About a month or so ago a lady I met on-line contacted me and said she and her man were coming to the United States and their trip was going to take them right through Bowling Green, KY. The world wide knitting community is just too awesome. I have "met" so many wonderful, helpful people through the various on-line knitting/spinning groups. I have been so excited awaiting today, the day that my Belgian friend Catherine was coming to visit. She and Guy (pronounced like key but with a g), were wonderful guests. I gifted her with the "Spring Socks" I finished not long ago. How cool to know that something I made will be walking around Belgium on a special lady's feet. I had received the yarn from a friend in Norway, knitted up the socks and now they are on their way to Belgium. How cool!!!!!

Catherine knew of my love of all things French. She gifted me with a knitted flag of Belgium and of France held on some really cool old straight knitting needles, some soap made in France, enough lace weight burgundy wool yarn made in France to make a stole, some lovely novelty yarn for a scarf and two Belgian newspapers written in French. (These are supposed to be for David, but, I think they will look really cool in my "wool room" displayed in some manner.) Once it is cleaned, it is a mess!!!!!! Ask Catherine, I have no shame and let her go in to see my yarn and stuff. We had a lovely day. We ate at Jimmy John's and then headed up to Russellville to Enchanted Yarn & Fiber. Rolynn and Ashley have the most enchanted shop. Lots of yarn wonderfulness, knitting/spinning toys, spinning wheels & fiber. You gotta check them out. After that we stopped by David's office. He speaks French fairly well and he really enjoyed this opportunity to use it. And I found out that idiot, stupid and imbecile all translate the same. I have a pretty good "French" vocabulary going then!!!!!!

Guy, Myself & Catherine

"Friends"

Filthy Little Liars!!!!!

You know what? I really hate checking gauge. Do you hate it? I have a new knitting class that started last week. I was explaining what gauge means in knitting patterns and how I hate it. It just slows things down. One of my students, Michelle, said, "It is kinda like when you color your hair and they tell you to do a test patch. Who wants to do that?" Amen, sister, preach it!!!!!!

I mean, even the Yarn Harlot hates gauge swatches. She says they can't be trusted. In fact, she calls them filthy little liars. Why do you want to "check" on something that can't even be trusted, right? I HATE GAUGE SWATCHES!!!!! HATE 'EM!!!!!

Now before you get your panties in a knot, or should I say your yarn in a knot, I do check gauge for most projects. Not because I want to but I can't stand the ridicule your receive when you don't and something doesn't turn out right. We've all been there right? You put all this time and money into making a gorgeous pair of socks but when half way through you realize these babies are going to be decking your fireplace this Christmas looking to be filled with train sets or a whole set of golf clubs. Or, if you are like me you just keep on knitting thinking that you are sure that somehow the largeness works itself out somehow or another. After all, this is the needle size recommended by the designer. How is it that we all knit the same stupid stitches so differently?
I don't get it.

Anyways, everyone at your knitting group can't wait to see that gorgeous yarn knitted up in that stupendous sock pattern. You pull this lovely creation out of your bulging knitting bag to reveal the monstrosity you still think is somehow magically going to turn into those lovely little women's size 7 socks. As you pull, and pull, and pull the project out of the bag, placing it on the table for all to see and all your knitting buddies straighten and flatten it out as it covers everything in sight, you look around the table at your many mentors faces expecting to see smiles of joy and pride at what you've accomplished. But, all you see are looks of fear that can only be found on the faces of the actors in a Japanese movie rendition of "Godzilla Eats Tokyo." When one of these "friends" asks, "Did you check your gauge?" When you say no, you really think gauge swatches are over rated, the silence is only broken by the many clicking of tongues around the table as the traitors who have embraced this whole swatch gauge heresy thing respond with "tisk, tisk." I really hate gauge.

All that being said. I recently began knitting the cutest little scarf for a friend's birthday. It is the Little Leaf Scarf found in the book "Make it Modern." Cute, cute, cute. Y'all know I'm a loose knitter, right? Well I jumped right in and got this baby knitted up so I could go ahead and gift it. Did I check gauge? NO!!!!! I hate gauge AND it is not to be trusted!!!!! Inside this stupid little book when giving the gauge on every pattern it says "Take time to save time, check your gauge." Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever!!!!

It is supposed to be a small little neck hugging scarf 27" long. Mine turned out beautiful, it is really quite lovely. I knitted it out of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK and I used the "suggested" needles, US size 6. My lovely rendition of this scarf is more like a scarf necklace measuring 36" long.

It is lovely knitting, don't you think? And you know, really, who wants to wear a scarf right around your neck.

i really hate gauge.

Slow Bee Me

Not a whole lot of knitting has been going on around here. I really don't know where all the time goes. I've had a lot of church activities and meetings to attend, I'm trying to get some of the 10 acres mowed, still working on getting the pool ready, blah, blah, blah. Been busy. :)

I finished up the swatch for the upcoming Slow Bee Mystery KAL. I'm using Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Smoke Heather and I purchased size 8mm beads from the Beadwrangler that are silver lined clear beads. My swatch came out to be 9 cm x 10.5 cm. And I'm using US Size 2's (remember................I'm a loose knitter.....but, I ain't a fast loose knitter).

The Life of David and Peggy

This is a video our youngest, Jordan, put together for a surprise presentation to David and myself from our church.

I DO NOT WANT to hear anything about the glasses. What did you look like in the 80's? :)