Sticks n String - Second Day

I took three great classes.... first stitch markers...

I learned a couple of tricks to simplify the process and was quite pleased with the results!

Second - a crocheted necklace. This particular piece of amazing craft is unbelieveably simple. Combining ladder yarn with a large crochet hook and simple chaining and out comes something that you can take a LOT of pride in.

This picture is a little dark - but it's a combination of different shades of gold/bronze/silver black cords and is incredibly sparkly and cute!  I can't wait to make some more of these!

Third, a beaded pin. I haven't worked with beading and knitting before (a pre-sequined yarn doesn't really count). And I while I could have used a smaller needle to get this a little 'snugger' and I probably could have made it shorter as well - I still think it turned out pretty good.

I got to enjoy a great chair massage (very relaxing!) but sadly for some reason I seem a little stressed today - not sure what was up, but I felt on 'edge' all day... so the massage probably could have done better if I could have just relaxed a little more... but it was still amazing.

And I was one of the lucky ones to get a door prize. My prize was two skeins of purple yarns (link isn't working at this time, but hopefully will be up with a website soon)... and a skein of something that was merino blend and while gorgeous - it just didn't make sense for me to keep it with my wool allergies - so I swapped it with another door prize winner at my table to double my take of cotton yarn. They aren't my favorite colors - a bright-ish pastel green and pink. But, it's yarn I can use versus yarn I would have had to find a new home for - so I was thrilled to make the swap. She was thrilled to make the swap. That works for me!

Sticks N String - Friday night

Sticks & String is a local knitting retreat, and this is my third year attending.

I didn't get to stay long tonight as my youngest had a pool party. So I dropped him off at the party - ran in and knit a little while until the vendor fair opened... did a little shopping, and then raced back to the pool to pick the little guy up.

I found some GORGEOUS blue alpaca fiber (as if I actually knew how to spin - ha!), as well as two skeins of DK alpaca from C & M Acres.... lovely stuff. I keep collecting lots of shades of their alpaca - with some thought to using all natural alpaca from darkest to lightest in graduated colors to make either a shawl (which I'd probably never wear - sigh) or some sort of cardigan. My favorite bit is that every skein has the name of the alpaca who provided the fleece for the skein!

I found an amazing leather/metal handcrafted bracelet from Fishlips3 Beads & Blues (a local artist) - and if he's back tomorrow and I find any quiet time, I'm going to ask if he's the guy offering classes through the community education program I teach for, would love to chat about his classes as I was thinking I might want to try to take one. I was seriously tempted by a brown leather/copper bracelet.... but behaved myself and bought a red leather and silver bracelet for my daughter-in-law.

I also saw, but did not buy some 100% silk, beaded, laceweight jewel-tone blue and green yarn.... I don't enjoy working with laceweight yarns as it is.... but it was really pretty..... but it was also $50. Um. Yeah. Not in my price range after all.... but it sure was pretty.

AND then I custom-ordered two zipper pouches.... they'll have custom embroidery on them - the selling point was that I saw someone come back with a zombie one.... and I was sold. They didn't have anything that 'quite' hit my happy place... but she was taking custom orders - so I put in my order. I'll be back to post some pics and links when I get them. It might be a while, I told her to put my order on the back burner and fill the other orders she gets first. I'll be happy with them when I get them, even if waiting a little bit.

And then, there's also the Goodie Bag!!!!

First the bag itself - a simple, branded tote. Lion Brand bags were used last year as well, only last year they were enormous. I didn't think I liked them that big, but they actually came in useful for storing finished charity hats last year... but this size is a good size.

And then the yarn - due to my wool allergies, they were kind enough to provide 50% cotton/50% acrylic - and it's a nice yarn!  Plus the cutest mug and zippered pouch.

The pouch is from Darn It! Sew What? -- which is the vendor I ordered my pouches from!

And then look at all this other loot!