Day 12: Sew & Quilt Shop

Sew & Quilt Shop
Bunnell, FL

Look what I made today at my favorite local yarn shop!   Even though there isn't any in the shop name, once you get there you will find plenty of yarn, along with friendly, knowledgeable, and welcoming staff.    This is my favorite place to go when I feel like running away from home.

Today, the talented Teresa Bovino, demo'd her Christmas Ornament pattern (available at the Sew & Quilt Shop).   We used Plymouth's Steletto on #3 needles but you can use any fingering wt. yarn.    I bought a ball of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino to make some more for my family.   I didn't have #3's with me (and I am trying not to buy things I already own) so I used the #1's I had in my purse.   I am happy with the final product but the finishing was a bit tight.  For my next attempt I definitely will go up a needle size or two.

This is number twelve, in the 31 Days of Where I live blogging challenge.

Each day I will post a thought and/or picture relative to something I like about living in NE Florida.  

You can see the whole list of posts here.

A Good Yarn

For a good time visit A Good Yarn

After spending a weekend in Sarasota, a friend came home raving about this awesome yarn shop she visited.   This Friday, on our way to Fort Myers for the weekend, Hubby & T2 (T1 had dog duty) graciously acceded to my request that we make a side trip on this purported yarn heaven.

Friend Kerri did not exaggerate in any way.   As soon as I walked into A Good Yarn I was nearly overwhelmed with the eye candy presented by so many luscious colors and textures.   Visually, this is a lovely shop.   The people (staff and customers) were warm and welcoming.    I absolutely love when a shop's staff is knowledgeable and willing to help without hovering.    A Good Yarn hit that balance perfectly.   I know that we all have our favorite yarns.  For me, the offerings were perfect (Debbie Bliss, Rowan, Habu, Claudia Hand-paints, Handmaiden, Louet, Koigu and a lot more).   It was like having all of my favorite NY/NJ/Philly shops in one place.  I want to move to Sarasota.  At the very least we will have to visit my Godmother more often.

I did ask about online ordering and was assured that they are working on a new website (in the mean time you can give them a call to order).   If their online service is as good as their in-person shopping experience,  A Good Yarn could easily become my next go-to knitting source.

In addition to yarn, and needles (a pick up for Kerri), I could not resist another set of Namaste snap bags (they come in a set of three but I am already using two of them in my knitting bag), these really neat stitch markers called "Floops", and a pair of earrings made from sliced knitting needles (I am wearing those right now).   Sadly I got so excited that I forgot to take pictures of the shop itself (the one above is of my purchases).   You will have to pay A Good Yarn a visit to see for yourself just how awesome it is.

Never a circus around when you need one....

I am blogging from Panera Bread today, not because our internet stinks (which it does) but because I have run away from home.   I am sure every Mom out there has found themselves in a position similar to mine.   Hubby (normally the soul of kindness) had a wretched day at his new job yesterday and is in a wretched mood today.   Perhaps not the best day to clean out the garage but once it was clear that, that was the plan, I got the boys up to help him.   It seems that T1 would rather play DandD then help.   Yes, I know, who wouldn't, but most of us would grumble a bit and then get the job done.    That is not what happened this morning.   After trying, perhaps too hard, to smooth things over, only to be snapped at by both Hubby and T1, I formed a plan of my own.   I took a quick shower, found something pretty to wear, and ran away from home.

Since, at my age, joining the circus is out of the question.   I did the next best thing.   First stop was our local Eddie Bauer outlet.   My favorite cami's were on clearance with an additional 50% off.   I got one in every flattering color (some shades of green are just not good to me).   The "Deal of the Week" were their wonderful t-shirts, got one long sleeve black and one short sleeve black.   I am in a bit of a black mood.

Then came the drive to my ultimate "I need a day for myself" destination.   The Sew and Quilt Shop in Bunnell, FL.   They sell yarn, nice, pretty, luscious, yarn.   I was planning on picking up enough Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran to start an afghan but got distracted by their other wonderful yarns.  All of the curly scarf yarn is on sale two for one.   I quickly grabbed a two skeins of Katia'a  Ondas.  One a  multi-shade red and the other a blue/green variegated (both for me).   I am not normally a fan of frilly yarns or man-made fibers but after making a few of these scarves for gifts, I want one (or two) for myself.   Next, I fell in love with a particularly lovely pink/yellow colorway of Blue Heron Yarn's lace wt Egyptian Mercerized Cotton.   I quick trip to Ravelry and I can see a new Citron-Grand shawl in my future.   At that point I thought I was done but during the requisite post-purchase chatting, a pretty shawlette caught my eye.   Turns out that it is made from a free in-house pattern.   Two  hanks Plymouth Yarn's Kudo and I was good to go.

Lunch and blogging done, I am heading over to a nearby Michaels and TJ Maxx.    No more spending for me today but window shopping can be fun too.

While driving around I am listening to Harriett Lerner's Dance of Connection.   Particularly apt since we all seem to have forgotten how to speak nicely to each other.

Gentleman's Scarf +/- 20 lbs

Behold the "Gentleman's Scarf" (Knitted Gifts by Ann Budd).    From the my first look, I wanted to make this scarf.   It just cries out for a well dressed man on his way to the theater.   Alas, I live in Florida and neither my hubby nor my sons would wear this well.    So, imagine, my delighted surprise when I met my mother's friend (not allowed to refer to him as "boy", or "gentleman", friend).    I do like him, though, quite a lot.   He is just lovely with my mother and I really appreciate his help and kindness.
Who better to receive the one Xmas gift that I will knit this year?



Choosing the yarn has been a trial.   I had hoped to find enough Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in a manly color but had no luck (I still think it is the perfect yarn for this scarf).    I did find some luscious admiralty blue Zara.  Loved the color, loved the feel, hated the gauge (for this project).  Thinking  I should have stuck to my original plan of using a fingering wt.  (The called for yarn is sport but I just can't imagine knitting tight enough to get 10spi), I found a gorgeous brown variegated Aslan Trends sock yarn .   I did worry that it would not show the pattern well but talked myself into buying it anyway (fell in love with the subdued, elegant, color).  However, after 24 rows (2 pattern repeats) it became glaringly obvious that the yarn was not going to show the pattern to its best advantage.

At this point I had already spent quite a bit on yarn that was not going to get the job done.   Back to my stash I went.   This time I decided to give this handspun, undyed alpaca a try.   Just 12 rows into the pattern, I can see that this is going to be much better.   The yarn is just a bit fuzzy but still seems to show the zig zags and cables well.   Finally, I am on my way.


In non-knitting news, I hit a weight lose of 20#'s yesterday.   I was so excited that I checked again today to be sure they were still gone.   Not to sound too "Mary Sunshine" but I really do think this diabetes thing might be a blessing in disguise.