Eastburn Adventures

. . .You're the only one who can!

We are in Tulsa this weekend on a mini vacation, and having load of fun shopping and eating out.  (Although I intended to knit on various WIP's, it's just not happening.)  I have been watching a lot of this lately, and have cleaned out my closet to make room for more better stuff.  Saturday night was fairly successful, although I only purchased shoes.  Four pair of shoes.  I love DSW.  Sunday, we accidentally discovered a Dillard's outlet!  Robert hit the jackpot and found a lot of nice dress shirts.  Me?  Three pair of shoes.  Anyone counting?  That's seven pair so far.  I also got a pair of $150 Anne Klein trousers for $13.  I love Dillard's outlet.  The problem - I still have nothing to wear!

Before shopping, we ate breakfast where Meredith told us to - Brookside by Day.  Very good, but across the street was this . . .

. . . as part of the promotion of the new stamp set that's coming out in May.  We looked for Darth, but no luck. 

Today - yarn shops! (And hopefully, better luck with shopping.)  Robert has been so great - not a single complaint!  I'm so lucky!

I was going to post some more photos of some of the scenic parts of Tulsa (yes, there really are several), but the internet connection in our room is not the highest high speed, so those will have to wait until I get home.

So, does the fact that I gorged on shoe shopping this weekend (TEN - that's 10 pairs of awesome shoes - even a sort of pointy toed heel that would make Stacy proud) make up for the fact that I accomplished very little knitting this weekend?

I had good intentions, but we all know what they say about that.  I brought along the socks (still not to the toe, and I think Trish has made like 27 pairs since I started this one), the Irish Hiking Scarf (still in the knitting bag, and no, Kate, I haven't tried cabling without the needle yet), the MDK book and the Euroflax linen to begin the Moss Grid Hand Towel that Zarah's probably got finished by now (but be very jealous, Zarah - I found a varigated Euroflax in Tulsa - oooh), and just in case I finished everything and got bored, I brought along 2 balls of Noro to make Lizard Ridge squares.  What did I accomplish - knitting-wise?  About 8 rounds on the sock.  Singular.  So much for Second Sock Syndrome - I have First Sock Avoidance.

I had moderate success clothes shopping yesterday, and I am done.  It may surprise people, but I don't like shopping.  Which is why I am usually dressed (poorly) in baggy jeans and an untucked t-shirt unless I'm at work, where I'm dressed in the same black pants three days a week with an untucked blouse (yes, there's a reason for the untucking - I'm on more than a yarn diet at this point).  I have decided, based on this weekend, that I love Dillards.  More than that, I love Dillards Outlet.  I don't like Macy's, unless it's the original in Manhattan (plus, they have a good parade).  But I'm done shopping now, except for the few remaining items on my list.  (Thank you, again, my dearest Robert, for participating in this indulgence!)

My favorite Tulsa yarn shop?  By far - Loops!  The ladies were very friendly, and they had some interesting yarns we can't get back home (that I didn't buy) like Buffalo.  I touched it though.  When I checked out, Ingrid asked it I wanted my yarn wound, and I said, "No thanks, I've got a swift and winder at home."  Shelly, the owner, looked up and said - "Oh!  A "REAL" Knitter!"  I was both proud and ashamed.  If only she'd known my lack of productivity this weekend. 

So - am I allowed this little diversion - or am I reduced back to a lower-case "knitter" status?

Just asking.

Here are a few of the photos from in and around Tulsa this weekend.

The world's (former) largest McDonald's in Vinita:

Loops

Woodward Park

and Penguins?

I thought I would share some of my last weekend purchases with you:

Oooh, and check it out!  Yes, that is my foot with a handknitted sock on it!  (I'm casting on for its mate as soon as I'm done posting!)  I am especially proud of my first Kitchener Stitch toe! (And a big thanks to Brianne and her motivation last night at Panera Bread, and to Kate and her encouragement today at Simply fibers!)

I really am a little surprised about how good this sock feels on my foot!

As much as I often get annoyed by the uber-perkiness of Vickie Howell, I do confess to watching fast-forwarding through episodes of Knitty Gritty.  Some of her guests are entertaining, and some of the demonstrations have proved to be very helpful in understanding certain stitches, cast-on's, etc.  Vickie has the schedule for the next couple of weeks out on her blog.  The main item of interest?  The Harlot's episode will air on April 17th - should be very interesting!

If any of the local knitters don't get DIY, I'll keep the episode on the DVR and maybe we can have a knitting/watch party!

My apologies for being such a boring blogger lately!  I'm still plugging away on the same projects, and I tend to forget to take the in progress photos.  But here's what I've been working on:

The Irish Hiking Scarf is my current "in between" WIP.  I reach for it when I need a break in something else, and do one repeat.  I'm not in any hurry to finish.  The last row of cables I did without a cable needle, thanks to Kate's instruction.  It is pretty easy, but I'm not entirely sold on it.  The anxiety versus not using an extra needle may not be worth it to me just yet.

I've also started the Child's Placket-Neck Pullover from Last Minute Knitted Gifts in Sirdar Snuggly.   Cast on 99 stitches and do 8 rows of seed stitch to start.  I dare you.  I don't. like. seed. stitch.

As you know, I finished my first Slipped-Stitch Rib Sock from Sensational Knitted Socks last Friday, and promised to not develop DSSS (Dreaded Second-Sock Syndrome).  Thanks to some serious motivation and inspiration from Trish (who can churn out socks like nobody's business), I am making progress!  I just turned the heel and picked up stitches along the gusset.  Hopefully, the remainder will go pretty fast - I'm actually really eager to practice my Kitchener stitch again on the toe.

Last Friday (Good Friday was a paid holiday for me - yay!), Kate and I hung out at Simply fibers to work on some projects.  This lady came in all hyped up as she was on her way to Camp Cockamamie with Cat Bordi and the Harlot.  She and her husband apparently have their own business making sock blockers and stitch markers that they sell on their website.  That reminded me that I hadn't shown Kate my stitch markers I bought on Etsy a while back - which prompted this stranger to say, "Oh!  Mine are much cuter than those!"  Okay, seriously, lady - if you want to gain new customers - don't insult their previous choices.  I'd like to get some sock blockers, but you know what - I'll be ordering mine from Sheri.  And just to prove a point, I made these Monday night:

Gee.  Not hard at all.  Want to make your own (instead of paying $10 for 4)?  Here's a good tutorial.  Have fun!

And in non-knitting news - a big congratulations to my dearest Robert who is following his dream and leaving AT&T after 10 years and coming to work with me - although he'll be in a different division and helping people with their personal financial goals.  I'm very proud of him!

This was taken about 5 minutes ago outside my back door!

Isn't it great?  It's SNOWING!  (It's been years since I remember snow this late in the year.) 

I LOVE Missouri!

What is it they say about the "best laid plans?"  Yeah.  Whatever.   I had a plan.  I planned to finish my first "real" pair of socks this weekend.  See?  Good progress.  I only have about 1/2 inch before I get to decrease for the toe and finish with Kitchener stitch.  Have I mentioned that I really like Kitchener Stitch?

1/2 an inch, people - and the toe doesn't take that long.  I can finish my socks!  Um, except:

Yup.  See that little end of yarn?  That's the END of the yarn.  Nine inches left.   It's just taunting me.  I really would have finished them this weekend.  (Fortunately, I sort of anticipated this happening last Thursday when I was hanging out with Brianne, and managed to hijack Kate's KnitPicks order which was placed last Sunday (and has been in some warehouse around St. Louis ever since) so I've got the other hank on the way.  Zarah, this doesn't count on the yarn moratorium!)

So, since I can't work on the sock anymore right now, I'm off to play with the baby sweater.  Maybe I can finish it tomorrow. 

I have a plan.

I did it!  I finished the Child's Placket-Neck Sweater from "Last Minute Knitted Gifts."  I have now officially joined the ranks of knitters who have made sweaters!  (Now maybe I won't be afraid to start one that will fit me!)

Okay, so it's technically not finished until I get the toggles for the placket, but it's knitted!  Okay, and I probably need to block it, too - I'm still calling it an FO!  Kate is in the process of making her second one of these - her first one had an unfortunate accident in that she didn't check the dye lots of the yarn, and the sleeves were a slightly different color than the body of the sweater.  (Um, yes - if you look closely, you'll see that the same thing happened to me.  I'm calling it a design element.  I've learned my lesson.)  Good news for her, it was an off-white Sirdar Snuggly yarn, so she's going to tea-dye it.  Mine's staying just the way it is!

I also got my KnitPicks order today so I can finish the sock!  I'm shooting for tomorrow night to post another photo of the finished pair!

By the way, after the snow on Saturday, it was in the 60's yesterday so Robert and I hit the tennis court.  I just love Missouri weather!

Yippee!  Two socks = 1 pair!

Now what am I gonna work on?

Lizard Ridge

Originally uploaded by http://www.flickr.com/people/7713025@N05/.

I'm still working periodically on the Irish Hiking Scarf, but now I need to start another "serious" project. Am I ready for another pair of socks? Or dare I start a sweater for myself? Stay tuned. We'll all be surprised when I decide!

Tomorrow night the Brianne is hosting a yarn swap at her home for the Springfield Knitters.  I can't make it, so we met tonight for a pre-swap swap.  I think we both were happy, and I sent her home with a big bag from the stash for her and Zarah to swap for me - so I'll get surprise yarn and get to participate vicariously through them!

I will be here tomorrow night, and will have dinner here.  I'm hoping that on Saturday I will have purchased one of these (especially since I've been refraining from yarn shopping to save my allowance)!

Have a good weekend!

Well, we went to Chateau on the Lake in Branson Friday night. We wouldn't have been able to afford to stay there if we hadn't had the opportunity to purchase 1/2 price certificates, so we took advantage of it. This place is absolutely 4 stars. When I made the reservations, the clerk told me that for an additional $4, we could upgrade to a lake view from the "mountain view." Why not? But when we checked in, they said that there were no lake view rooms available, and if it was all right with us, they were going to put us in one of the suites. Oh, darn.

This room came with robes . . .

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. . . and Chateau shampoo (which is almost as much fun to say as "paprika alpaca")!

During our dinner at Candlestick Inn, we watched the fountains below us at the Landing.

Saturday we went to the Coach store and I got my new bag!

We also went to the Toy Museum, and saw Robert's favorite movie character.

I finished another Lizard Ridge square:

And put the final touches on the baby sweater.

I finished my swatch for my new project (more on that in another post):

This was an absolutely fabulous weekend. But wait until you hear what's in store for next Sunday!