Busy Needles!

The Hitchhiker Scarf may be done, but now I have projects shouting for attention.

On the left, the stealth knitting. That's been bumped up to #1 project.

In the middle, two of the seven swatches I need for a class I'll be taking at the Knitters Review Retreat in a couple of weeks. 16 stitches, 12 rows. Easy to procrastinate about. BUT I really don't want to be knitting swatches in the car on the way to the retreat!

On the right, something new. A fun thing for me. Small and mindless enough to throw in my purse for bus or waiting room knitting. Any guesses what it might be?

Finished!

The Hitchhiker is finished! Just in time for the cold and snow.

Rhinebeck 2011 Report

I have Rhinebeck hangover! How can one come back to the everyday after experiencing so much yarn, color, stunning knits and fried foods?

My one regret is that I didn’t take enough photos. But here’s a sampling.

Since I wanted to avoid the crowds on Saturday, the hubster and I went up to the Rhinebeck area that afternoon. Relaxed in the hotel, ordered in dinner and then I knit in the lobby for several hours.

When I first went downstairs, I met two lovely knitters—a mother and daughter from Connecticut –who warmly welcomed me and told me the highs and lows of their day at the fairground.

People then began arriving back to the hotel and soon the lobby was full of knitters!



The Hitchhiker Scarf especially enjoyed the fireplace.



We got up early on Sunday and arrived at the fairground about a half hour before the gates opened.

This gave me time to admire the trees that are just beginning to turn.



I also gawked at some gorgeous knits.



And it's not surprising how some people spent their time waiting.



Gates opened and here's some of the sights.

Felted food art



The colors!



Look at that sweet face!



Stunning Orenburg shawls for sale



The wearer’s grandmother made this fun sweater.



I didn’t have any—but the idea of fried pickles is both intriguing and nauseating



Ann Hanson (carrying the green bag.) I wonder what yummy yarns she has in those bags?



Queen Bee Clara Parkes who was there to sign her wonderful new book.



OK, the main event. What did I buy? Not much. I didn't intend to buy any yarn. I was there more for the ambiance and the inspiration. But, some did follow me home.



Sanguine Gryphon Zaftig Bugga (No! I didn’t wait two hours in line.), a couple of Christmas ornaments, a needle case, a little bit of 3ply cashmere, fingerless gloves and a new old-fashioned knitting bag.



The hubster and I were on the road by early afternoon. Whew! I really zipped through those barns. But I feel I saw everything and am very pleased with my purchases. It was a wonderful, wonderful day! And I'm already looking forward to Rhinebeck 2012!

Rhinebeck Bound

Off to Rhinebeck tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the Hitchhiker Scarf won't enjoy all the fibery goodness, the llamas and alpacas, the sheep, the sheepdog trials, the Punkin' Chuckin', the fried whatevers--that's going to be Revontuli's job.



Between it being a busy week and untangling those 24 grams of horror, I just couldn't finish the Hitchhiker in time. Since this was to be my "Rhinebeck knit," I guess I'll just have to wear it next year!

Knitting Penance

This little ball of yarn looks all sweet and innocent, doesn't it?



Hard to believe that only a day ago, it was an instrument of torture. A penalty I had to pay for some past evil.



I spent all day untangling that mess. I'd untangle for about ten minutes then, for another ten, read the homework assignment for a class I'm taking. The homework? The Aeneid. Book 6. The Kingdom of the Dead. Perfect reading for this task since I went from the depths of Hades to the Elysian Fields.

Hitching and &%$#-ing!

Will the Hitchhiker Scarf be finished in time to wear this weekend to Rhinebeck? 34 teeth done. I thought I would have enough yarn for 40 pointy-ended "teeth." (The pattern calls for 42.) But with only 18 grams left of the yarn, I won't.



But. . . . remember way back in February? I had started another scarf with this yarn and encountered a tangle?

I ended up cutting the tangle out. As I was knitting the Hitchhiker, I thought the tangle was only a couple of grams and wouldn't make a big difference.

WRONG!

It's 25 grams. That's enough for a few teeth. For some crazy reason, I didn't toss the tangle. So today. . . here's my project.



AAAAARGH! I'm not a person known for her patience!

Lazy Day Beef Stew

Yesterday was chilly and damp--a perfect day for beef stew. However, I was tired and didn't want to fuss. I also have other things to do than cook! But, oh, I had such an hankering! It had been a hot, hot, hot summer and I haven't had beef stew in a long time.

So I made the laziest beef stew ever.

At the grocery store, I picked up a package of already cut up chuck pieces, a bag of carrots, a sweet potato, some Lipton Beefy Onion Soup and Dip mix, and a disposal aluminum baking pan.

At home, I sprayed the baking pan with cooking spray. Then roughly cut up a sweet potato, four carrots and an onion. Put those in the pan and sprinkled with a half a package of the soup mix. I placed the beef chunks on top of the veggies and sprinkled the rest of the soup mix on top. I then added a few bay leaves, shook some garlic powder, pepper and allspice on top. Last step was to pour a small can of V-8 juice over the whole thing.

Then I wrapped the pan in many layers of aluminum foil and put the pan in a 325 degree oven for about 3 1/2 hours. That was it. No flouring or browning of anything.

The smells were incredible! The stew was tasty. I've probably made better stew--but this one was very satisfying. A good way to welcome this cooler weather.

The best part--I just had to toss the roasting pan when done. No washing of pots and pans!

October Frenzy

Two weeks from Rhinebeck and I plan to wear the Hitchhiker Scarf there.



So far, I have 26 "teeth" and the scarf calls for 42. The rows are getting longer. Life is crazy busy during the next two weeks. My fingers ache. I hate knitting on deadline. There's another project that needs my attention. And what about that sweater I thought I'd finish this fall?

But, oh, it's Rhinebeck! The lure of wearing something newly knit there. The finishing of it in the car on the way. The blocking of the item on the bed in the hotel the night before. This is a challenge I can't resist.

The race is on!