Uncle Leona's Day Camp

I have my new baby!

Today was the big day. Here's the newest member of the family:

It's the brightest object in the neighborhood. Sunshine on wheels.

I've done my part...we'll see if it works

My snowblower, after a two week hospitialization, is back in my garage all fixed. For only $70! I was shocked--major props go out to Sears for their service. Now that I am ready for the next onslaught of white, fluffy global warming, I am sure that we won't see it. That's how it works, right? It has saved us so far; the storm that was supposed to cause some trouble on Thursday gave us nothing more than an inch. There's another bigger one on the way this afternoon....time will tell how long this karma lasts.

For what it's worth, I have placed a deposit down on my Wrangler 4x4, too. Don't have the car, though. Yet. I figure having a 4-wheel drive Jeep in the garage will further hasten the arrival of Spring. And the voices in my head may be my 5 iron calling my name.

Yes, I'm delusional. This is how you get around here at the end of February.

That's why I always seem to head somewhere warm in March. This year, I'm heading out to Scottsdale for a very conveniently located and timed medical conference. Why so convenient? Turns out that this is the inaugural season for the Indians in their new Spring Training digs in Goodyear, Arizona. The conference ends around 11:30 every morning, and games start at 1:05. I have tickets magnetized to my refrigerator for two of those games. Warmth, sunshine, and baseball. Life will be über good. Especially since the trip will be paid for by the hospital.

OK, I'll pay for the games. It's only fair.

Those of you expecting to see the Sea Oats Cardigan finished will just have to hang in there. It's still pinned on the board. Just can't get pumped about the crocheting just yet. Besides, it's not warm enough to wear it, either. I did get started on the Jane Thornley Bolero Vest, though.

I have added some length to this vest already, and I may need to add some more. Not sure yet. Grady has had a fun time with all of the yarns sitting on the couch--I'm ready to kill him.

I didn't post the latest photo of the Red Rocks Pullover last time, so here it is:

This is the finished backside. I'm about an inch from the neckline on the front. I'm guessing this one won't be on my body until next November or so. Just can't see how I can finish it all up while the weather still sucks. Especially since I have done so much to deter the Lake Erie Snow Machine.

I'll have these finished today:

In the past week, I have managed to increase my sock yarn supply by two large skeins. I have to finish these up to open up a needle. That, and I want a new project to knit while I'm waiting on my margarita/sushi/microbrew in Arizona. Not to mention while I'm sitting in the lecture hall at the conference.

Coffee can only keep me so awake at those things. How I ever got through med school lectures is beyond me.

Pittsburgh isn't all that bad...if you forget about the Steelers

As you may have noticed, there has been a concerted effort on my part to work on projects with the stash. Partly, it's because of the property tax bill erasing a paycheck.

OK, truth be told, that's the main reason.

Nevertheless, I have felt a certain sense of accomplishment as I have worked down the skeins in Ikealand. The recent results are as follows:

Seed Stitch Cardigan

Second time I have used this pattern, and I am equally impressed. It's easy, fits well, and keeps the ol' body toasty as we approach our next 4-6 inches of global warming.

Fiesta Vest

I finally got around to putting buttons on last night. This is such a classy vest. Lucy Neatby's projects are about as fun to work up as eating a pile of nachos. That's high praise.

Sea Oats Cardigan

You're going to have to go into the Wayback Machine to remember this one. It has been languishing in pieces parts for the better part of two years because I didn't feel like sewing it up. Well, yesterday I decided I was tired of leaving it be, so it got sewed up. It still needs the front edge crocheted, but I thought it best to block it first to straighten everything out. Two years of languishing can make one a bit crinkly. I'm thinking I'll finish this one up this weekend as well.

So, why the sudden attack of Helsinki Syndrome (Finnish? Get it? OK, I'll give you time to wipe that look off your face...) Well, in a spontaneous fit of yarn buying glee brought on by a soon-arriving tax refund, I packed myself in the Pontiac and headed off to the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival yesterday.

First of all, I thank the Pontiac for its years of service. This was its last long trip. I go shopping for my Wrangler with Dad tomorrow.

So, back to Pittsburgh. There were some rather squirrelly driving conditions which gave me some pause about driving two hours (two accidents that I saw), but the urge to fondle wool took over, and I made it to a very snow-free Turnpike unharmed. I got to the hotel where it was being held at about 11 AM, and there was no parking. At this point, I knew that the word "zoo" was going to be part of my vocabulary for the day. I parked at the hotel across the street and sullied forth.

Complaint #2: $15 to get into the market? Are you nuts? Even Stitches doesn't charge that much! (OK, that's the property taxed one in me talking...move along....)

Complaint #3: The hotel apparently underestimated the zeal of knitters to come out and shop. It was wall-to-wall people in winter coats. Apparently, the recession hasn't hit the yarn festivals.

Complaint #4: People are idiots. I don't know how many times I had to play fullback to break up packs of ladies who just had to stop in the middle of aisles to chat. And this was AFTER saying "Excuse me." Also, a packed shopping area is no place to try out a cologne you just bathed in. There was one woman there that reeked of some musky stuff, and I just couldn't seem to avoid that smell! Personally, I am much more fond of my blend of Dial soap, Suave shampoo, and Secret. Very easy on the olfactory system.

OK, bitching over, so let's go on to the goodies. Pittsburgh's show is pretty nice. There were about 50 vendors, mostly local shops and farms, but a few others from a little farther away. Lots of wool and alpaca, and two live rabbits! As it seems with every show of late, there was no way to miss the sock yarn. I was very stoked to see the number of sweater kits that were being sold--lots of varieties for all levels of experience. Most of the vendors also had completed items that were right by the yarn it was knit from (especially the farm/fiber vendors). I could have really got into trouble, but thankfully for my credit card, there was no cotton or linen to be found. I really wanted a summer project.

Well, what was the damage? I did manage to find some wool/bamboo yarn at Brooks Farm Yarns that mimicked cotton pretty well.

I have 2000 yards of this stuff. That should be plenty for a sweater.

Did I mention the kits?

This was a good part of the reasoning behind finishing up the Sea Oats Cardigan. This kit from Autumn House Farm has the same yarn in it. The vest probably will be altered a bit to accommodate the boobage, so I figured I'd use the extra yarn from the cardigan to accomplish that. Turns out that the yarn I have doesn't quite match, so I'll just have to hope that what is in the kit will do the job. Or I'll just do some finagling with knitting alternate rows or something. You know me...I'll figure something out.

For all of the sock yarn that was at the show, you'd figure there would also be a ton of novelty yarns for scarves as well. Not so much. Actually, I think the novelty yarn scarf craze has died down a bit. Normally, I wouldn't be annoyed by that, but when one is actually looking for hand-dyed ribbon for a project, this trend is a little disconcerting. I found a couple of skeins, but after I got back into town, I hit the LYS to finish up the task.

I found the Sunset Bolero Vest pattern on Jane Thornley's website. She does all sorts of crazy fibery things that I wouldn't wear on a dare, but this pattern was right up my alley. I had most of the yarns sitting in a bin waiting on me to use them for another Crayon Box Jacket, but I'm going to do this first. I'll probably still have plenty for the jacket when I'm done.

That would make for the gaudiest three-piece suit in recorded time.