Friday, August 28, 2015

mail order fun...

I think I mentioned that my granddaughter's new best colour is turquoise and I didn't have anything even close. I went on-line to check out Yeoman Yarns Panama because for kidswear it's great - good yardage, easy care and easy knitting.  A knitting friend had mentioned last year that she had ordered from the UK and got her order very quickly  and easily.  I found an ebay website from UK that has very good prices, the postage seemed to be extremely cheap for overseas delivery and they take Paypal, what more could you want? So I clicked this and that and placed my order - the postage was based on 2 to 4 kg for the same price so I ended up ordering 6 - 500g cones which was still within the 4 kg range and held my breath - more is better, right? Within 8 hours, I got a reply that thanks, my order was on the way. It was delivered to my door yesterday, 1 week,  by Canada Post and no customs charges!!! OMG, I immediately began thinking of what colours of CannelĂ© I wanted but I put the brakes on - I'll save it for later!
 Janet's (poppy WCD) dress is done, almost finished an LSA cardi (Let's Swing Again, Knitwords #44) for Lauren in royal blue WCD and I'll get Rhiana's turquoise dress done this weekend - I think I may have time to get that new dress done for me for the Maritime seminar - I deserve to have something new to show them too, don't I? ;-))

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

mmkc founders fest a success...

The seminar was great - everyone was so excited to be there, me included! It was fun - the founders did a superb job of organizing, planning and arranging to make sure everything went smoothly. Thanks Dee, Jane and Maria Ann! It was great to see Pam from St Cloud, Bonnie and her entourage, Rosemarie and the gals from Wisconsin and to meet some new (to me) mk-ers, Rachel, Thomas and Heather - of course there were more but it's impossible to mention everyone.
I was really impressed when Rosemarie showed me her submission to last year's Door County Wearable Art Show near Madison, Wisconsin - she told me that she had used my  buttonhole band (#34 from '50 Ways to Love Your Knitter') which set off her design very nicely. Ah, validation! Nice!
My TLR cardigan was perfect. I felt professional and cool and I haven't stopped wearing it - it's so versatile and pretty - I'm thinking of a re-make but I have a to-do list to complete first.
I did finish up both the navy manfriend hoodie and the pink girlfriend hoodie - they are ready to go in the mail. My grandson, Nathan, would like a red MFH - he is 11 years old and gaining on me height-wise so I think he qualifies - I'm going to make him the smallest size- I'm confident he'll grow into to it pretty quick. Rhiana asked for a turquoise dress for back-to-school - her new favourite colour,  so I'll have to order some yarn - that's not a standard MAO shade!
My little-big sister Janet asked for a new dress like the navy one I made her last fall - she wears it so much, she's having a hard time putting it to launder so another one to switch out would be good - I talked her into 'poppy' which I'm sure she will get as much use of (if she doesn't, I will;-)). Promised my friend Ray a denim MFH; a cardigan for Lauren; something for me for Karen's wedding...and while working on Janet's dress I am cooking up a few new dress plans - stay tuned!
Oh, BTW, in case I never said, I'll be at the Maritime Machine Knitters seminar in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, Oct  2, 3/ 2015 - get ready!

GFH - girlfriend hoodie
MAO - mary anne oger (I actually had someone ask me what that meant in MSP!)
MFH - manfriend hoodie
MMKC -midwest machine knitters collaborative
TLR - tuck lace rib