I want to go!

Hi Megs,

I am really jealous that you get to go to Stitches West - I WANT TO GO! Can't imagine what it would be like to see all that yarn. All those colours, all the interesting patterns and stuff people are doing. My consolation is that we have FRENCHY's! At least you found your t-shirts in such great colours - don't think you paid over $2 Canadian for any of them. You did a great job of "tossing the bin" to find them. That rug is going to be a very interesting project. How big is you ball by now or have you given up on rolling just one ball. Your colour sequence is is really nice. Like the way the orange pops out.

And - now I have to admit that I checked out the Scarf Style - love the projects in this book and ordered it from Amazon. And now I am doing enterlac again. I did this in the early 90's - remember it being called "interlaced", but never liked how it looked. But with the new yarns with really great colour combinations it really is neat. So, I am also making the Lady Eleanor. So I guess, "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." I am using smaller needles - 5 mm and Freedom Spirit 100% wool yarn from Twilley's of Stamford so the scarf is smaller - the width on my foot-stool. Love the colour way - the way it is looking. Had to refresh how to do this but didn't take long and I was picking up stitches and going like crazy! But it is like eating peanuts - you just have to have another handful/row. It is really interesting how the colours of this yarn are mixing with the enterlac pattern. You got me hooked!

The new Interweave Knits has the directions for "how to" enterlac but they are really confusing. The directions in Scarf Style are much better. Really didn't like ANYTHING in the latest edition. Some awful stuff that comes under the category "just because you can knit it doesn't mean you should!" They try too hard to be "innovative" and it just comes out nuts. Also got the new Rowan Magazine, #41 and there are some beautiful sweaters in there. Really like design of the Kaffe Fassett Marble (page 59) and Maris by Sarah Hatton (page 83). Very simple and classic. Oh - so much to knit (and hook) and so little time.

Doris - with me looking on - has spun another skein of the brown Marino. She thought it was Polwarth but now thinks it has to be Marino. We compared and the Polwarth is just not as soft as this roving she is spinning - the dark brown. I am going to my rug course this week but AM going to get to spinning the week after. I have also started scarf # 3.

We had a "murder" on the deck. We have had a little hawk in the tree over the deck. When he shows up the birds leave. Well, one dumb morning dove - not a fast moving bird at best - wandered into the feeder and he got her! But the morning dove was just about as big as the hawk and he had a devil of a time getting her lifted off the deck to fly away with his prize. I wasn't home but you Dad saw the whole thing. He said the feathers were really flying. We had to clean up the deck. I guess that is just how life works in the bird world.

Yes, all is well with us. Your brother shaved off his beard and cut his hair - says it is too hot in the Barbados for facial hair. He says he looks like an investment banker. He does! He also looks very young. It really runs in the family - the looking young thing. This is good!

I am going to ask around to see if I can find who knitted the lobster claw mitts. Would love to get the pattern. They are kind of neat. I have worn them once and really got a lot of comments. I hate it when people ask, "Did you knit those?", and I have to say "NO".

So - hope you gather your energy and are able to get back to Stitches and wish I could come with you! Maybe after we visit to go to the San Francisco Jazz Festival in May, we can come again so I can go to the Expo. The Knitting Guild has been talking about doing a field trip to Stitches East when it gets to Massachusetts or to Maine - if it ever does. But it has to be when the Ferry runs to Portland or Bar Harbour so we don't have to drive all the way around.

I will let you know what I am learning at "rug school".

Love ya, Mom, XOP