Stitches Salon

What happens to my brain on Friday afternoons? Because I could serious kick my self right now. I headed out to lunch and while I was sitting in the basement of Macy’s café, it came to me. I was suppose to be at the Stitches Salon and knit among the other Chicago knitters. WTF!! Did I have a brain fart? Oye, so I passed by...cute isn’t it!



Okay...aren't those huge needles and yarn just about the cutest thing you've ever seen???

I even walked inside where a handful of people where sitting around being taught to knit. Squeals of joy coming from the teacher as the student actually knitted his first stitch. His comment was... Oh, I get it, that wasn’t hard at all....like the light bulb went off and he sounded so pleased and ready to do it again.

The great space was surrounded by all kinds of interesting and creative designs...from a knitted teepee/fort, crocheted clothes, handmade jewelry and unique artwork. There is a super soft couch and lounge chairs with a fake fireplace that crackles...too cool. I really had to get back to work, other wise I would have found a spot and knitted some rows of the ongoing socks on two circ’s. I’m so going to put a post-it note on my computer to remember to go next week.

Needle Point?

My commute to work consists of me taking a 45 min train ride into Chicago. Hubby drops me off at the station at 8 am, where I board at 8:05. I sit in the first car of a 7 car Metra train and usually in the same seat as the day before. Out of habit or just plain familiarity, I've fallen into this certain routine where I put on my headphones and listen to a book on tape ~Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, right now~ then I pull out my current project and fall into a knitting zone.

I love my commute too and from the city. It prepares me for a day full of deadlines and unwinds me in the evening, before coming home to my family. Most of the time the train is completely packed, any available seats are occupied. These people have no concern for others...they talk on cell phones or to each other. I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to do early in the morning is hold a conversation about anything besides receive caffeine into my body. Thus the reason for the headphones. Knitting enhances my hearing and attention to details...and I find it hard not to listen to conversations around me...(Get to the point!)...yeah, I know.

Okay, so this morning is like any other...a lady sits next to me and all I see is her mouth moving and her hand motioning to my socks on two circ's. I pull my ear phones off and say "Excuse me?"

"Oh, that's interesting" this stranger says..."is that needle point?"

WTF! ~ I say to myself ~ "Nooooo, it's knitting." Hoping I didn't sound to evil. I then tried to explain how and why, but I see nothing but a deer in the headlights. She doesn't have a clue and there's no point in me trying to make this woman understand. I would love to explain that they'll will be totally exact when I'm done. That they'll be worn by my loving mother and hopfully will be enjoyed as much as I have enjoyed making them. That the loose hairs that have been knitted along with the yarn will bond me and my mother even closer then we are now. This stranger is a lost soul, poor thing. I wish I could show her the light, but alas I need to knit and get back to my audio book. Can you believe she actually thought it was needle point?

A status report you say...okay, here is my needle point:

Okay, I'm Falling In Love:)

Only thing on my needles, well...at least it's the only thing I'm concentrating on. I really wanted to see how quickly I could knit a finished pair of socks..and to make sure that both socks are equally the same, I'm doing them on two circ's. Any little moments I have, the socks get pulled out and add a row here and a row there. Delay on the commute into work, no problem more time to knit. Soup at Corner Bakery and I'm knitting like the wind and look what has happened... Yes, there socks...



Okay, so there not complete yet, but I'm soooooo in love with this pattern, yarn and my spontaneous knitting moments, that I can't help but gush:) I know the new owner will love them too....yes mom, if your reading this...your babies are almost complete. It will be hard to send these off, but I know you'll dig them as much as I do!

And guess what this little one is doing?



Being the star artist she is. My little Mac was silent...now when I say this you have to really understand that there is no such thing as silence in a house with a toddler. It was so silent that I heard the cat breathing from across the room. Well, Godmamma Karen (bless you) gave this to Mackenzie for the holidays and she was going hog wild. So, you know I got to knit in silence for 25 whole minutes? I hear you gasping...I know...I was impressed too. Dear Karen also came thru in the knitting department...just adorable.



Click Here to the designer who created this lovely piece of art. And the Winter Knits which has tons of cool patterns, I just can't choose which one to start!!

Happy Knitting!!

What? It Was Only A Swatch?

Yes, I'm afraid so. I keep knitting and telling my self it will be okay, it's not so big. I like baggie socks. I had gotten so far and the knitting was going so smooth. You know, I just might have to blame the zip-zag strip pattern. Yep, that's it, I was hypnotized.



Who wouldn't be just in awe of this sock...and mind you I have two of those on the needles. I was seriously knitting like the wind! Then I just frogged the whole thing...sigh. Put, I held my head high and casted on right away. I'm done with the toes and know it's just mindless stockinette till it's the proper length.



Now the big question is which color toe do you like? I have some time to ponder before short rowing the heel, but I'm leaning towards the blue, but I do like how the green is in order...a few more inches and we'll see how I feel then.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year. I spent the evening starting some lovey self striping socks with hubby as the movies played on and on.



Done toe-up on 2 circ's - we'll see how quickly these get knit up. I've been concentrating on holiday gifts for the past 2 months and really need to focus on some unfinished projects. Do you remember the lace alpac pullover? I really need to pull that project out of the Time Out Bin.

So, goals or resolutions or 2007? I'm organizing my life. Knitting from the stash, setting up financial future and hopefully losing a few more pounds. I really can't wait to see what 07 has in store for me and my family - cheers to you and yours. Happy knitting.