Another Glimpse of Our Trip and What I'm Doing This Weekend

Our base of operations for the weekend was Bristol VT so we toured around the small town, and discovered this hysterical plaque with stone suspended above it:

That day, the stone was dry with a shadow below it. The next two, it was wet.

We all decided that this house was perfect just as is...you know, when you're house hunting and decide you like a place but will change this and that? Not this house. We're even in agreement with the owners right down to the red geraniums and the pink and lavender Adirondack Chairs on the porch! Just perfection!

On Saturday, we ventured to Middlebury. One of the major landmarks there is the Congregationalist Church:

And on Sunday we spent the afternoon here:

My mother's childhood Universalist Church. My grandfather was minister here for many years and I spent summers leading the local children in talent performances in the basement of the building. I directed and starred, singing, dancing, and emceeing the events. Apparently the children who participated with me have longer and better memories than I do as I'm remembered fondly for those programs! Who knew?

If you're sensing a bit of a theme here (of community churches) you're correct. When I think of Vermont, I think of the white (mostly clapboard) churches. It has something to do, I'm sure, with the Methodist minister grandfather on my dad's side, and the Universalist Minister grandfather on my mom's side. As a result, I'm totally enamoured of New England church architecture! (In spite of being a feminist spiritualist...)

I promised another post on the Old Round Church, and it's forthcoming, but this weekend was all about filling orders for Teabird Spindle Bags (one of each variety of strap length!) and getting stock made up for the National Capital Cat Show on Sept 11-12...

These orders will be shipping out to their new homes tomorrow!

Travel Knitting - And Other Vermont Fiber Pursuits...

I set aside my two pairs of socks on the needles because the needles themselves were sets I didn't want to lose to TSA. So I started the Austermann Step Striped Socks in pink/orange/gray and took them on the trip. I made good progress and turned the heel then began the slipstitch back of the heel and was about to do plain vanilla stockinette, when I realized I'd dropped a stitch - WAY back at the beginning of the slipstitch heelback. Since I'd flown to Vermont, I didn't take my trusty Stitch Saver as I was afraid it wouldn't make it thru check-in.

So the sock went into the box I was mailing home and I picked up the stealth knitting project that's unbloggable...it's mostly garter but suddenly I realized I'd gotten off (badly) on the little bit of pattern in the piece. Into the priority mailing box the stealth project went.

OH NO - I had nothing to knit! And I needed it - I wasn't the driver so my yarnless state had to be remedied, dontcha know.

I stopped at my new favorite LYS (ok...only local when I'm there, but **OOoohh! Look** they have a website!). I fell hard for this shop on Friday when we arrived - both yarn and fabric under one roof!

Well, I think I died and went to heaven! We stopped by again on Monday - the ladies at Knits & Bolts remembered me and why we were there, asking how the reunion was the second time I stopped. They're also wonderful enablers...my sis-in-law and niece nearly swooned over the Berroco Comfort which is why there are two colorways of it in my possession. One of the Knits & Bolts ladies was making a sock in the blue/green/brown colorway and it's stunning! You have already figured out that it also got put in the priority mailer I sent home, too, right?

Down in yesterday's post is the photo of the other skein of Berroco Comfort Sock yarn (and bamboo needles, too) I picked up there - the pink, brown, orange colorway. This is such yummy yarn - and it's 50% acrylic, 50% nylon! Feels just like silk.

I know...pinch me!
I also bought my first-ever skein of Opal sock yarn. It should not surprise you that the colors are purple and denim blue. *wink*

(yards of fabric were mailed home, too, btw)

One more skein of yarn made it into my mailer box, but it wasn't from Knits & Bolts!

On Saturday, we shopped at the Bristol Farmers Market and I visited two booths that drew me like a magnet. Meetinghouse Farm (no link, sorry) had yarn from a cooperative of sheep farms - the fleeces are pooled to make a sort of generic yarn and dyed there, then the skeins are distributed for sale by the owners of the sheep. The price of a single skein was $3.50! I had a hard time picking the color from this basket, but chose the denim blue. I'm pretty sure there's enough for a hat, tho' the seller had no idea how many yards there were, or anything else that would tell me what I could use it for. I guessed that the skein is probably worsted weight. It weighs 3.8 ounces. Hopefully there's enough for a cabled hat!
Then I discovered KiKiBird Crafts and picked up my own small stash of needle-felted acorns and a needle-felted and covered rock (sounds odd, eh?).

It's lovely...a weighty little Vermont riverstone covered in the muted needle-felted natural fleece, it will sit in my pocket on the days I'm forced to endure meetings without yarn to help me remain calm. *wink*

There were so many places I'd love to have gone. I must discuss the possibility with Lynette of driving up and spending a week or so with my aunt and traveling around to see the sights we missed as well as hitting all the fabric and yarn shops we can find.

Or perhaps next October? Nana Sadie Rose will have a booth at Vermont Sheep & Wool? It's right at the peak of fall foliage!

More Photos From Vermont

(but not in any particular order or location, as you'll see)

Sight-seeing! (at the entry to the Richmond, Vermont Old Round Church - I'll post additional photos of that trip later...)

Another visitor! I love seagulls.

Pre-flight knitting - I have turned the heel, btw, and am working up the ankle. This was started the night before we left Vermont...I know now how the Yarn Harlot gets so much knitting done! (What else is there to do on a plane?)

Out the window...(sorry the wing got in the way)

We Have a Couple of Winners!

Because I opened my mailbox and saw both of them at the same time, which makes it a tie...so Diana and and Barbara-Kay, I'll be tucking a little something into the mail to you (well, actually I'll probably drop it by Diana's since we live in the same town!)
Congrats all! Yes, I was in Burlington Vermont for that photo!

(and for my family reunion but that's another story...! Installments are forthcoming, stay tuned.)

I've Been AWAY!

I've been to my favorite place in the whole world to see my favorite people in the whole world...I went with my sis-in-law, and my niece and nephew-in-law, and I went by *gasp!* aero-plane!

And I think this might be my favorite photo from the trip...

Any guesses where I was? (those of you who were in the loop and knew about the trip are not allowed to play, and you must get the city as well as the state!) hmm...yes, I think there might be a prize involved here, just a teensy, little "something."

(Oh, and yes, that's a Rhinestone Cow...and, remember? I'm a Rhinestone Knitnana, so where else would I have my photo taken?)

Deadline's Approaching!

The National Capital Cat Show is breathing down my neck, but I've got the best helpers in the world, doncha know?

All she does is work...

I had to see it to believe it, Meezer, but you're right!

When You've Only Got A Few Minutes Here & There To Knit...

Cast on for another sock...

My Personal Sock Club #4 - this is Austermann Step color #31, in gray, white, lilac, and melon! Thanks, Miss Muffin for modeling so sweetly!

It's All Bags, All the Time, Doncha Know?

These three "old favorites" were finished last night so I thought I'd share...they're all the Knitnana size.

A Sweet Lover Boy!

Sewing machine is humming, but mostly on popular fabrics, I had one new one I had to share:

If that's not the Wackiest Stacked Cats fabric I've seen in awhile?

Here's my darling lover boy:

He loves his blankie and ...

his Mommie.
:)

TGIF!

It's been a crazy busy week, while I had fun with the most recent "better living through chemistry" my (new) doc has tried. It's a bit challenging for the system, doncha know? One particular prescription I've been on for Lupus for years is now gone, and for that I'm grateful beyond words; another was tried and discarded as it didn't suit me at all...I'll have a bit of a rest before we try something else. If I seemed a touch more quiet and "behind closed doors" than usual perhaps that was for the good, eh?
*wink*
The really good news is that this doc doesn't believe I even have Lupus (I guess that's good news...considering those years on a med I perhaps didn't need?)!

And of course, it's Nana Sadie Rose's busiest time of the year, gearing up for the National Capital Cat Show in 29 days. I saw that this morning when I opened up the blog and saw the ticker staring at me and blanched. Less than a month. And in that time I'll be away from sewing for 6 full days, possibly 7.

The conversation is changing between the cats, there's a dance as to whom will land prime real estate next to Mom, and who can purr the loudest for attention...who is most likely to bring her running with the single *plink* of a straight pin on the floor.

(at present the kitten gets the quickest reaction because I know The Meezer won't swallow them, just toss them down to entice me to notice her. HE, however, cannot be trusted yet.)

We did have a moment on the bed tho', I with my wool socks on my feet, and he was frightened away. He's not sure how it is that The Meezer thinks it's okay to like wool socks, lick wool socks, sleep next to them , but The Tonk, who's been *bonked* on the nose for biting them, has apparently decided that he's in serious trouble if he so much as sniffs at them.

Does he look as if he's trying to stay out of range?

Happy Birthday, EZ!

Elizabeth Zimmermann's 100th birthday is today!

So why haven't I cast on for that Baby Surprise Jacket yet?

I suppose I really should...since DD is apparently having my first granddaughter soon.

Interesting Weekend...

As my earlier post probably suggested I've had a medication switch...and adjusting has been interesting...I'm still on the fence about all this, we'll see how it goes. But thank you all for your information!

Last week I did manage to get these done for the National Capital Cat Show in September:

Then this weekend it's been fun getting these done:

Thanks to a friend for modeling (she wanted to remain anonymous, which meant "headless" so...). This is the shoulder-strap option on the most recent Nana Sadie Rose creation, The Teabird Spindle Bag.

Here it is up close.

And the insides. This little bag isn't for sale, it will be used as a sample at the cat show (I've got to keep somethings to show, folks!)
;)
Then the Teabird has another option, the across-the-body shoulder strap:

This is the Teabird that friend Jocelyn chose. Below you can see the outside:

And the inside (Jocelyn will have no trouble filling this with lovely, lovely spindles, I know!)

I did a lot of the gathered bags and accessories this weekend, and pulled fabrics and coordinated them for bags (always a major investment of time whenever I do it)...I have probably 10-15 bags planned for the cat show, my only hope is that I can get them all done!

My sewing assistant decided she was taking a break this weekend:

Who, Me? Work?

The Tonk, on the other hand, was so engrossed in trying to be helpful, he ended up doing the opposite, of course. We are learning. SLOWLY...
(((hugs)))

Lyrica?

Would you email me (address is in the sidebar) and tell me your experiences with this fibromyalgia treatment?

Thanks in advance!

Where'd Everybody Go?

Or is it...perhaps...that Blogger is causing problems? Kathy happened to mention that she couldn't post comments on Blogger's blogs. I don't know if that's it, but my traffic is about half of normal the past three days. Did I say something to offend? Are you mad at me? Is everyone out of town?

It's very weird. Maybe I need a gratuitous cat photo?

Don't take my picture...You know I hate that flash

I understand what you mean, now, Meezer...that flash is the pits

(sigh)
Even the cats don't like me anymore...
*wink*

Nana's Got a Brand New Bag!

Soon after I made up those lovely little drawstring bags, I was asked by one of my good customers about altering it to make a project bag for her spindle. We chatted back and forth...
;)
The end result, after ordering the cutest fabric just for her bag, was this brand new, original Nana Sadie Rose design:

Nicely sized, generous even...15 inches high and 8.5 wide with enough structure to protect a spindle and such inside but not too much. (Not as much as a regular Nana Sadie Rose bag, for example). That green piece up at the top? That's a wristlet loop, the photo didn't do that justice obviously.

And inside, there's a loop to slip the shaft of your spindle down in, with pockets sized for whatever you might need: a total of 7, 4 slender ones and three wider ones. And of course, the drawstring to snug everything up securely.

I decided that this bag will be available currently as custom orders only, with three options for handles: the wristlet loop, a 15-inch single shoulder strap, and an across the chest style. The different lengths of straps will require a bit of an adjustment in price based on your choice ($3 at each increase in length).

(I might add, that while this is designed to be a spindle bag, it will work easily as a small project bag, too.)

I like it! Hope you do...
Oh, all my bags have names, right? This one is the Teabird after the good friend and faithful customer who inspired it!. Thanks, Melanie!

It's Hard to Get Good Help These Days...

And I should know. Nana Sadie Rose can't pay her help really well, but she does have good benefits...I'm breaking in a new helper, and it's been a challenge this weekend.

Several baglets in both sizes, a couple of checkbooks, a handful of drawstring bags, and a few totes, like this Knitnana shoulder bag were produced (and some are mostly done, will be finished in the next day or so)

Cute fabric, eh? I loved it when I saw it and this made up nicely...

But as I said, breaking in the help and getting them trained properly is never easy:

These days, it's hard to keep folks interested in their work...

But finally Tonk showed a bit of interest in the position of Ironing Supervisor:

He can literaly "oversee" the ironing board from his perch on the stairs! No "sweat" off his nose...HA! (but I do use a lot of steam...)

And the Number 1 Sewing Assistant pooped out way ahead of schedule today.

I was amazed to find her sleeping on the job.

I don't know what I'm going to do. I realize I changed the kibble and the bathroom facilities this weekend, but the rest of the food and lodging is their favorite.
(sigh)