Shopping Therapy

I wanted to share about my past "job", which really was not a job but a joy (most of the time!) For five years, I "played" at an incredible boutique called "Aileens". It was full of fantastic clothes . . . . The only reason I'm not there is . . . . . nooo, I didn't get fired! . . . . . the owners, my good friends, Jan and Jolynn, decided a they didn't want to do it anymore! Damn them! I hate it when people make life changing decisions that affect me! Kidding!!!! It's been a great thing for them and me. We are doing things we've been wishing for.
 Aileens was both shopping therapy and instant gratification; enabling every able bodied woman who walked in the store.

Gosh, I loved it.

Now I miss it.

But not Jan and JoLynn.

Now we get to have hang whenever we want, say whatever we want and drink whatever we want (coffee, wine, beer, martini - you know, just the healthy stuff!)

Here's to you!

Fingerless Mitts

Since I've only knit one pair of mittens, designing one from scratch was a  challenge. My hands are quite small , so finding a pattern to fit was frustrating. Most adult patterns seem to be too large in diameter and length; children's patterns are okay around, but a tad short. Also I wanted a snug ribbing  and had to figure out intarsia in the round. I ended up using this ribbing: Round 1: K3 P3, Round 2: K1 P1. The intarsia dilemma? Once I started the intarsia pattern, I started working in the stockingette stitch, actually knitting and PURLING. I would turn my work at the back (palm), and begin working back, purling and remembering to work pattern backwards too. Not to mention working the thumb gusset, while working back and  forth until the intarsia work was finished, then rejoining to work in the round again. It was tricky, and I needed to sew up the hole in the back. I was happy with end result, and apparently so was Maddie.

Energizer Bunnies

I've been talking alot to Mom - she's doing quite well! Her doctor said she was healing fine! Surgery was on Thursday, the 17th, she was released the next day, Friday. In typical Dad fashion, Dad pretty much shoved her out the door (not really, I'm sure he got her settled in) but then promptly went to work. Actually, she says  she doing very well - cooked dinner last nite . . . tired afterwards, but feeling well. Despite all this, she and Dad are still planning their annual winter trip to Kaui, so NOTHING slows my folks down! They just keep going!  

KNITWISE: I've been working hard on my Danica Entrelac scarf. Although I know how to do this technique, I still took a class from Irene. My job here at Wild Purls is relatively new, and classes are a fantastic way to meet the regulars and expand my horizons. The finishing class is on Saturday, so I want to be ready. Sadly, I"ve been putting off other projects - Jim's sweater, some mitts for Alice, Stephen's messenger bag, my baby bottle bolster pillow! But I know I'll get to them.