Joey Quinton

Random Acts of Kindness Group on Ravelry

Earlier in September, I joined the Random Acts of Kindness Group on Ravelry, the online community of knitters and crocheters. The group allows you to post a wish list each month of fiber-related and life-related gifts that you would like to receive.  You, in turn, then keep a close monitor on the wish lists of other's in order to  grant them a random act of kindness by supplying them a wish from their list.  It is a wonderful concept and I was thrilled to post my first wish list.  I have been able to send out several RAKs this month and I was thrilled to receive my very first RAK in the mail today from a fellow knitter. Stephanie, from Colorado Springs, sent me a beautiful set of stitch markers and they are green....my most favorite color.  Thank you, Stephanie, you made my day...and added some wonderful and beautiful stitch markers to my knitting bag!   

The Knitting Zone

I am going to begin a new weekly feature on my blog called, The Knitting Zone.  This post will run each Monday and will feature one of the many exciting knitting blogs that populate the blogosphere.  If you would like to recommend some knitting blogs, please leave a comment and I will be sure to review it.

I am new to knitting and I have been finding a lot of practical information contained within the many knitting blogs that I have run across.

Adding to my Knitting Book Collection

Today, was date day and my wife and I headed north up I-75 to go to Logan's Roadhouse in Richmond, Kentucky, for dinner.  Following our delicious meal, I went to Hastings to see if a crochet magazine my wife has been awaiting was on the newstands.  Unfortunately, it was not, but I was able to pick up a copy of the Fall 2010 Interweave Crochet for her.  There were no knitting magazines on  the newstand that I did not already have so I browsed through the knitting section in the stacks of books. 

One of the books that I purchased this afternoon was Free-Range Knitter by knitting guru Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  I, like the rest of the entire knitting world, love the Yarn Harlot and follow her blog closely.  She is an amazing evangelist for knitting and the fiberarts.  I also picked up a copy of Stitch 'n Bitch by Debbie Stoller.   

When I got home I got a wonderful surprise; Cat and Eric have released a new video podcast.  My wife is now napping and I am in my recliner with my knitting bag and my new knitting books...Saturdays just don't get any better than this!

Let's Knit2gether

I have just discovered a video podcast called Let's Knit2gether.  It is a podcast produced by husband/wife team, Eric and Cat Susch, which focuses on Cat's love of knitting, spinning, and the fiber arts.  Cat is so personable on her video podcast that you immediately become addicted to the series.  Eric handles the video production of the series which is one of the most professional video podcasts that I have ever seen.  His quality production is certainly evidenced in the weekly podcast and can stand proudly beside other high quality video podcasts such as those produced by Leo Laporte and the TWiT Team.  Not only has Cat fostered me in my love for knitting, but she has introduced me to other areas in which I have formed an interest, such as spinning.  You can visit Eric and Cat at their website, on FaceBook, and on Ravelry.   Currently, I can only knit; I  cannot purl, cannot tie on a new skein, nor can I read a knitting pattern, but through Cat's assistance and encouragement I plan to soon move beyond a plain, knitted rectangle!  I cannot wait to learn to knit socks! 

Ozzy's Winter Blanket

I just finished a winter blanket for Ozzy and he seems to really enjoy it.  He sleeps under it most nights and looks very cute.  I made it with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Pumpkin using my US 9 Addi Turbo Circs.  The pumpkin color certainly matches the color of his coat.  This evening I cast on Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Grey Marble to make a winter blanket for Isabella, our Shih Tzu. 

I Have a Local Yarn Shop!!!

Despite my post from yesterday, this evening I discovered that I do have a local yarn shop.  While visiting the Pulaski County Public Library Facebook Page I discovered that my community has a local fiber arts shop called The Silver Wheel.  This studio seems to have relocated from Lexington to Somerset.  According to their website they specialize "in hand woven heirloom quality textiles, delicate hand-spinning, and knitting pattern design and education in these crafts."  I am super excited and will have to locate their studio tomorrow! They even have a blog!

The Hobby Lobby

I finished up my blanket that I made for my Yorkshire Terrier and I was completely out of yarn to cast on for the next project.  I successfully avoided the urge to plunder my wife's stash for I value my life, dearly. We live 85 miles from a chain yarn shop and have only the yarn contained in the craft section of Walmart from which to browse.  I am not a fan of Red Heart yarn so my local yarn purchasing is non existent.  Today was a beautiful day, so we got in the car and drove up the interstate to the nearest Hobby Lobby.  I tantalized my wife with the promise of a segue to Logan's Roadhouse for a sirloin.  I bought a skein of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Grey Marble, to cast on for the blanket for my Shih Tzu and two skeins of Lion Brand Jiffy, Apple Green, from which I plan to cast on for a scarf for myself.  I really like the complete Lion Brand line of yarns.     

It would be very nice if Hobby Lobby would locate a store in Somerset, Kentucky.  It would be even nicer if someone would open up a local yarn shop.  If I ever win the lottery, this is exactly what I plan to do. 

The Knitting Circle

I have been interested in knitting for about a year and I have a life long passion for books, so on Friday afternoon I googled "knit lit" to see if there were any fiction books that had knitting as a theme.  Was I ever pleasantly suprised.  I listed all of these books in my Moleskine and then visited the online catalogue of my local library to see if they had any of these treasures on their shelves.  One of the books that I checked out wasThe Knitting Circle by Ann Hood.  It was fantastic and I could not put the book down.  The story centered around a local knitting group that was populated by knitters who were all too familiar with grief, disappointment, and tragedy.  The protagonist is Mary Baxter who loses her 5-year old daughter to meningitis.  To help her cope with her loss, Mary's mother suggests that she join a local knitting group that meet's each Wednesday evening at Big Alice's Sit and Knit, the local yearn shop.  Through her association with the group each week, Mary gets to know the other knitters and the tragedies that have touched each of their lives.  I kept reading all weekend because I desired to learn the life stories of Alice, Scarlet, Lulu, Beth, Harriet, and Ellen.  I savored each page of the book and am looking at exploring other books by Ann Hood.

 

 

DROOL...wipe slobber up...DROOL again

PALETTE - Bit of Cashmere - Cashmere, Merino Wool Sock Yarn - Yarn Lust Threads...I GOTTA HAVE!

Can you imagine the luxury, beauty, and sheer comfort of having a pair of socks knit out of this sock weight cashmere???  DROOL!!!