New Stuff!

I am waiting on help with turning the corner on the Cherry Leaf shawl due to unclear instructions (the lace knitting girl wasn't at Chicks with Sticks last night, and I haven't seen Jody in ages, so I emailed Jody--help's on its way). I just don't want to mess up due to misinterpreting! I did get through a couple more pattern repeats on the Rosebud shawl. MMM, it's dreamy. Must take a photo!

Much of yesterday was spent playing with new toys, though. I got this stuff in the mail:

Knitpicks needle set: It finally came in, so I put it all together. I put my lace knitting needles and a couple of Addi bamboo circulars, plus my really special fancy stitch markers and my purple scissors in the binder, too. I will rearrange my big knitting bag and feel all professional, probably over the weekend. Not sure why I put off getting these things, which everyone else I know has...I guess my irritation that the small sizes aren't convertible had something to do with it. But, I ordered 32" circulars in 0-3, so I have all the sizes I will ever need (I don't really knit often with anything bigger than 10.5US, so I didn't order any large needle tips). I'll add my 000 needles and put a space for the 00s that are making a sock, and I will have all I need, portable. Still will have the honking big hanging circular holder, though.

Top Down Sweaters Book: (by Doreen Marquart) I also ordered this one, but I am not as thrilled with it as I could have been. All the sweaters seem a bit bulky to me, and most look like things I could have thought up for myself. But, there are a couple of fun ones in Noro Silk Garden that I might knit up, and perhaps the words are interesting (didn't get a chance to read any of it yet). So, I have not given up on the book.

No Sheep for You: (by Amy Singer the Knitty person) One of the women I knit with was going on and on about the content of this one, and since I like interesting fibers, I went ahead and got it. Well, she was right--I actually LEARNED some stuff in the few pages I managed to read last night! Like Tussah silk refers to a type of moth (I guess I thought it was a place). I know a lot about fibers and how they are made, but this book has some new info for me, so I am happy, happy, happy. I think I'd have enjoyed writing this book.

Needle Gauge: I am so happy to get the Knitpicks needle gauge and magnifier doo-dad. I like the magnifier thing. That will make figuring out gauge a little easier for almost-50 me.

I managed to not buy anything other than an iced latte at the yarn store (since my air conditioning repair will be $2K, I think that was wise), though I did drool over a couple of Louisa Harding patterns...too bad I' like to make her winter sweaters out of her summer yarns...maybe I can. Looking forward to her workshop in a few weeks, though!

Oh, everyone at the shop really liked my Lace Style book. I think I sold a few items for Interweave Press last night by showing that one off. I am strongly encouraging Pilar the daring dresser to make the little lace dress in there. Unanimous opinion was that the abundance of photographs of the items at different angles was very helpful. Nothing's worse than a book of patterns with such artsy photos that you can tell what the knitted thing actually looks like.