Monday, September 14, 2009

Doing my share to help the economy...

This weekend was the expo: Stitches-Midwest held at a big hotel/conference center in Schaumburg, IL. There is just no way to describe it. For the horse folks - like going to a National Show and having booths and booths of vendors with everything horse and bling related to tempt you. For guys - like going to McCormick Place for the Auto Show -

There is just so much. It is definitely overwhelming and is most certainly not for the weak (as far as being way too tempted by all the goodies).

I was 'somewhat' weak, but, did "ok" - at least 1/2 the items I purchased had specific projects in mind and 1/3rd of what I purchased was to make gifts (both birthday and Christmas). I actually attended 2 days - (went with 2 different sets of friends) - thus my 'weakening overnight' - gave me too much time to think about things and to rationalize purchases - hahah

So, here's a picture of what I added to my stash!

I had stated to all my knitting friends that I was ONLY going to purchase one skein of sock yarn for socks... And I stuck to that - so, that was a GOOD thing - because I could have gone completely insane in the Miss Babs booth! I did purchase 2 other sock yarn skeins to use for other types of gift projects - which were on my list to purchase - so no harm there.

I planned to buy some fiber and I did. I bought 3 different colorways of Miss Babs fiber (which she really NEEDS to add to her online store) - 2 different blends. I didn't mean to buy 12oz of the SAME thing. Here's a story to show how predictable I am: On Friday, I bought a 4oz bundle of fiber - loved the blend (Merino - Seacell) it is in pencil strips (the fiber is long strips about a pencil width) which is how I like to spin - but usually have to waste spinning timing breaking up a braid of fiber INTO pencil widths- it is awesome to have this done already! On Saturday, because of how pleased I was with this fiber upon further inspection and thrilled to already have in pencil widths - I decided to purchase more - thinking an 8oz grouping to get more yarn for something a squoish bigger (more yardage) - So, I picked out a lovely colorway. When I was putting everything together for the photo - imagine my surprise that I picked out the same darn colorway? Two separate days, with different folks, so, now I have 12oz of said fiber. Not enough to make a sweater, but, more than enough to do most anything else with. I am just so predictable err consistent when it comes to choosing colors I like - HA! Here's the gorgeous consistent fiber:

I also came across a new vendor called Maple Creek Farm - hadn't known them before - but, they had the nicest Alpaca-Bamboo yarn - the dyeing and colors were just fantastic - so, I had to get me some of that. It's a gorgeous two tone brown - rustish- Heck, I don't know how to describe it - so here's a picture -
I was thinking about making this wrap/shrug type of thing that Dr Kate made when she worked at The Fringe - (I emailed her for the instructions if she remembers what / how she made this) - It's basically a rectangle type stole/wrap and I believe she added buttons to the edges that when buttoned would become sleeves allowing you to wear it as a wrap unbuttoned or a shrug - I think this would be gorgeous in that way.

I also picked up some cute accessories, notions, do-dads and the like for gifts and such - so I can't show you or else I would have to kill you and if you are perhaps on the list to be a recipient of one of these - that wouldn't be fun -

We all had a fantastic time enabling each other, seeing new fibers, yarns, patterns and the like and I am so thankful (so is Bill) that this only occurs one time a year!

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